Crime in Seattle increases after police budget cuts

Feb 08, 2023

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter/Producer

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter/Producer), Stacey Chamberlain (Producer)

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.

Tags: Crime, Gun violence, Seattle, Washington

KARAH RUCKER: IN THE YEAR 2021…SEATTLE WASHINGTON DEFUNDED ITS POLICE-BUDGET BY NEARLY 17 PERCENT. IN THE YEAR FOLLOWING THOSE CUTS…HOMICIDES IN THE CITY SURGED 24 PERCENT.

IT’S THE LATEST EXAMPLE OF THE DEFUND THE POLICE MOVEMENT HAVING A NEGATIVE IMPACT INSIDE A DEMOCRAT-LED CITY. HOMICIDES SPIKE, RAPES AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS ALSO INCREASE.

ALL WHILE CRIME IS ON THE RISE IN THE EMERALD CITY — THE POLICE FORCE ITSELF…SHRINKS BEHIND LITTLE SUPPORT. THE YEAR FOLLOWING THE SEATTLE POLICE BUDGET CUT — THE DEPARTMENT LOST 130 OFFICERS.
THAT SAME YEAR SEATTLE HAD A RECORD NUMBER OF SHOOTINGS OR SHOTS FIRED.

AND IN 2023 — THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO SHRINK. 30 POSITIONS SEATTLE P-D HAS STRUGGLED TO FILL — ARE NOW ELIMINATED IN THIS YEAR’S CITY BUDGET.

THE CURRENT TREND IS LESS POLICE EQUALS MORE CRIME. IN A CITY STRUGGLING TO RETAIN ITS IMAGE AS A SAFE TOURIST DESTINATION.