The recent elections have unequivocally demonstrated the failure of the nationwide experiment known as "Defund the Police."
The American populace has expressed its exhaustion with politicians who prioritize the protection of criminals over the support of our law enforcement. The repercussions of this movement, which has left our police forces demoralized and depleted, ignited a surge in crime, and claimed countless innocent lives, will unfortunately take years to rectify.
According to The Daily Signal, the election results delivered a crushing defeat to the "defund" movement. Kamala Harris, one of the earliest and most fervent supporters of the movement, advocated for a "reimagined" approach to policing. In June 2020, she stated, For too long, the status quo thinking has been: You get more safety by putting more cops on the streetwell thats wrong. However, the American electorate and empirical data beg to differ. Harris was not only defeated, but she lost to an opponent who promised, There wont be defunding, there wont be dismantling of our police, and there is not going to be any disbanding of our police if he were reelected president.
The November 5 elections also saw numerous pro-police and anti-crime results. Twelve out of 25 progressive, soft-on-crime local district attorneys linked to George Soros across the U.S. were either defeated or recalled, even in traditionally liberal jurisdictions. Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon, for instance, lost by a significant 24-point margin to his tough-on-crime opponent Nathan Hochman. Moreover, voters in California, one of the most liberal states in the nation, overwhelmingly approved Proposition 36, which extends jail and prison sentences for drug and theft convictions.
The public's outrage is understandable in light of the damage inflicted by politicians who favored criminals over public safety. Following the death of George Floyd in 2020, cities across the country impulsively slashed hundreds of millions of dollars from their police budgets. Consequently, law enforcement officers, feeling defunded and defamed, abandoned the profession in large numbers. The number of full-time state and local officers fell by 5.3% between 2019 and 2021, resulting in 36,907 fewer officers serving and protecting our communities.
This period also saw a slowdown in police response times and a 3.8% surge in violent crime across America. Homicides nationwide rose by 29.4% in 2020, marking the largest single-year increase in over a century. The "defund" movement also led to the abolition of School Resource Officer programs in many cities, resulting in a dramatic rise in school shootingsover 300 in each of the last two years.
Progressive soft-on-crime policies, such as no cash bail, have created a revolving-door criminal justice system that has frustrated officers and endangered citizens. The failure to prosecute shoplifters has led to a surge in retail theft. A recent nationwide survey revealed that 40% of retail employees plan to quit their jobs next year due to "personal safety concerns." Youth crime is also spiraling out of control, with carjackings in Washington, D.C., nearly doubling last year, and the average age of those arrested being 15.
Illegal immigration has forced some cities, like Denver, to reduce their police budgets to accommodate the influx of migrants into their communities. However, many states and localities have recognized their mistakes and are now restoring police funding and reversing failed progressive policies. Minneapolis, for example, cut its police budget by $8 million in 2020, only to add $7 million two years later to replenish its dwindling police force. After Oregon decriminalized hard drugs like heroin and methamphetamine in 2021, the resulting record-high overdoses and rampant homelessness forced the state to abandon its experiment earlier this year.
The "defund" movement, now relegated to the scrap heap of ill-conceived ideas, has seen a decrease in anti-police rhetoric that previously incited attacks on officers. Encouragingly, the Fraternal Order of Police reports that the number of officers shot this year (301 as of Oct. 31) was 7% less than the same time in 2023. Unprovoked ambush-style shootings of officers (71) are on track to be nearly 40% lower than the 138 in 2023.
The devastating aftermath of the defund the police movement will not be rectified overnight. The loss of many talented and experienced law enforcement officers will take years to repair. There are still numerous pro-criminal district attorneys who need to be replaced. While a strong pro-police president will soon retake office, much of the "defund" damage has occurred at the state and local level, necessitating further corrective action.
Nonetheless, it is heartening to see the pro-police, anti-crime pendulum finally swinging in the right direction. This experience has taught us a valuable lesson: a well-funded and fully staffed police force is crucial to maintaining the safety of America.
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