From Virginia to Texas. From New York City to deep blue Seattle. Americans rejected the crazed “defund the police” movement by electing candidates who promise to increase police funding and build confidence in law enforcement.
Public Opinion is swinging harshly against the radicals. Just look at some numbers from a recent Pew Poll:
47% of Americans want funding increased, as opposed to 15% that want a funding decrease.
The share of adults who say spending on policing in their area should be increased now stands at 47 percent, up from 31 percent in June 2020.
Support for defunding the police has fallen significantly with only 15 percent of adults now saying spending should be decreased, down from 25 percent in 2020.
African American viewpoints on the “defund” movement shifted even more strongly. Only 23 percent of African Americans support the movement now down from 42 percent in June 2020
Here in Dallas, many City Council members claim to oppose the “defund” movement but still associate with some of the activists who helped lead the charge. Remember that just 1 year ago, the City Council shamefully voted to defund our police leading to a record-high murder rate in 2020.
Keep Dallas Safe worked tirelessly to hold those members accountable and push for better policy, which is why we are pleased the City Council took the first step towards safety in funding an increased police budget. But make no mistake, we need another 2000 officers to make our city safe.
As the polls show, people want a safe city. If City Council cares about being responsive to their constituents, they will give Dallas Police the funding they truly deserve.