Defunding the police was one of the dumbest and most destructive ideas ever advanced by the left.
www.thegatewaypundit.com
In 2020, the Seattle City Council approved a plan to reduce the budget of the Seattle Police Department (SPD) by 18%, which some people have described as "defunding" the police department. The cuts were part of a larger budget reallocation process that aimed to redirect some funds from policing to community-based programs, including mental health and housing services.
The proposed cuts were met with controversy, with some people arguing that it would lead to a decrease in public safety and an increase in crime. Others argued that the SPD had a history of excessive use of force, particularly against Black people and other people of color, and that the cuts were necessary to address systemic racism and police brutality.
The SPD did not actually lose funding as a result of the budget cuts. Instead, some of the funds that had previously been allocated to the police department were redirected to other programs. However, the budget cuts did result in a reduction in the number of police officers and some changes to police practices, such as reducing the use of certain types of weapons and requiring officers to use body cameras.
It is worth noting that the situation in Seattle is complex and multifaceted, and opinions about the impact of the budget cuts on public safety and policing vary widely.