Seattle, Washington, defunded its police budget by nearly 17% in 2021. In the year following those cuts, homicides in the city surged 24%.
Seattle’s budget cut is the latest example of how defunding the police has had a negative impact on a Democrat-led city. Homicides have spiked, and rapes and aggravated assaults have also increased.
While crime is on the rise in the Emerald City, the police force is shrinking. The year following the Seattle police budget cut, the police department lost 130 officers. That same year Seattle had a record number of shootings or shots fired.
In 2023, the police department continues to shrink. 30 positions the Seattle Police Department has struggled to fill are now eliminated in this year’s city budget.
The data reflects a current trend that less police equals more crime. It’s another concern for a city struggling to retain its image as a safe tourist destination.