- Despite support from major city officials to defund the US police following George Floyd’s killing, police spending remains largely in-tact.
- While the 50 largest US cities cut aggregate 2021 police budgets by 5.2%, these cuts were in-line with broader COVID pandemic cost-cutting initiatives.
- Of the 42 major cities where Democrats gained power (2020 elections), 24 increased their police budgets.
- Since most police spending goes towards salaries, cutting usually involves leaving vacancies unfilled.
- Activists claim the goal of defunding remains re-allocating resources to non-violent social services.
