Just a few of the larger cities defunding and the results so far of this limited/partial list.
List of Cities Defunding the Police | Surge in Crime
There's a new trend sweeping across America. Violent activists are demanding that police departments be defunded, or even abolished. In a few major cities, officials and policymakers are caving to the demands of these radical activists, slashing police department budgets in crime-ridden areas. Unsurprisingly, there are now surges in violent crimes in cities that are actively defunding their police. Here is a list of cities defunding the police and their surge in crime.
Minneapolis
The Minneapolis City Council has recently approved cutting $10 million from the police budget. This is the first permanent cut with more expected to follow.
“[Dismantling the police] is one step in a direction to create safety for every single resident of our city” - Minneapolis City Council
- 60% more homicides this year than last year
- 269 violent shootings this year by July, equaling all of the shootings from last year
Seattle
Seattle city council plans to cut the Seattle Police Department budget by 50% and has already approved cutting $76 million out of the 2021 budget for the police.
“In police-free zones, we could have a summer of love.”- Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan
- 525% crime increase last month compared to 2019
- 4 violent shootings in 10 days within CHAZ
New York City
New York City officials agreed on a budget that shifts roughly $1 billion from the police department, but advocates and lawmakers say the change doesn't go far enough.
“We think defunding police is the right thing to do.” - NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio
- 130% increase in shootings this year compared to last year
- Murder totals this year have increased in every borough
Chicago
“It's time for our city to seriously look at cutting the police budget.” - Chicago City Council
- May 31st, 2020 - most violent day in 60 years:
“We’ve never seen anything like it at all. I don’t even know how to put it into context. It’s beyond anything that we’ve ever seen before.” - Max Kapustin, senior research director Chicago Crime Lab
- May through July: 1,130 shootings, 212 of them fatal
Portland
The Portland City Council cut $15 million from its police budget earlier this month. $5 million of that will be put toward a new program that sends unarmed first responders to answer homelessness calls.
“Defunding the police is a victory. We're not done.” - Portland City Council
- Violent shootings up 240% from 2019
- Average homicide rates are up 10 more murders per month from 2019
Atlanta
Atlanta has cut their city's corrections budget by 60% by converting the Atlanta city jail into a "center of equity, health, and wellness."
“We’ve been defunding the police for the last few years.” - Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms
- Murders are up 86% this month compared to last year
- 165% more shooting victims relative to last year
Los Angeles
Los Angeles City Council recently approved a new study to find ways to cut the Los Angeles Police Department's budget by $100 million to $150 million.
“This is the dawn of a new era of public safety in Los Angeles.” - Los Angeles City Council
- Murder rate is up from last year
- Double-digit rises in homicides in the past two months
Baltimore
The Baltimore City Council approved a $22.4 million budget cut for the police department.
“I am proud to lead a City Council that took the first step to responsibly reduce Baltimore’s budget dependence on policing.” - City Council President Brandon Scott
- Homicides in Baltimore are pacing ahead of last year’s record-breaking rate
- 164 people have been murdered this year
Philadelphia
Philadelphia canceled a planned $19 million increase for the police department and shifted $14 million from the current police budget.
"It is counterproductive to increase spending on the Police Department” - Philadelphia City Council
- Homicide is up 28% above last year’s pace
- An average of 4.7 people are shot per day
Washington D.C.
The D.C. Council's Committee unanimously approved a plan to defund the police department budget by more than $15 million.
“There are too many people still stuck in the old ways of a law-and-order kind of approach.” - D.C. Council Member David Grosso
- Homicide is 23% higher than where the city was at this time in 2019
- D.C. homicide total has surpassed 100 for the year