‘Defund the police’ movement impacts recruitment, increase in crime
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(NewsNation) — Police departments across the country are struggling to keep officers, keep up with the rise in crime and hire new recruits.
Since the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, the “defund the police” movement has made international headlines.
Now as violent crime increases, cities are reversing and actually asking for a “refund the police” movement.
NewsNation spoke with criminologist Dr. Alex del Carmen, who says there’s a negative stigma around officers right now. This makes it challenging to convince those officers who are already on the force to stay, and even harder to find new recruits.
Del Carmen said that the “defund the police” movement has resulted in “a massive exodus of police officers across the United States and very little interest in police candidates to join police academies across the U.S.”
The movement, which emerged after the murder of George Floyd by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in May of 2020, sparked outrage and protests against police use of force across the nation.
Police line up with riot gear as protesters demonstrate after the fatal shooting by a police officer of Patrick Lyoya in Grand Rapids, Michigan, April 16, 2022. – One of four videos from the April 4 incident shows the officer lying on the back of 26-year-old Black man Patrick Lyoya as the two scuffled after a traffic stop and then appearing to shoot him in the head. (Photo by Mustafa HUSSAIN / AFP) (Photo by MUSTAFA HUSSAIN/AFP via Getty Images) 
Police in riot gear gather during a demonstration after the fatal shooting by a police officer of Patrick Lyoya in Grand Rapids, Michigan, April 16, 2022. – One of four videos from the April 4 incident shows the officer lying on the back of 26-year-old Black man Patrick Lyoya as the two scuffled after a traffic stop and then appearing to shoot him in the head. (Photo by Mustafa HUSSAIN / AFP) (Photo by MUSTAFA HUSSAIN/AFP via Getty Images) 
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – APRIL 16: Police block a street to prevent access by demonstrators protesting the killing of Patrick Lyoya on April 16, 2022 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Lyoya, a 26-year-old immigrant from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, died after being shot in the back of the head by a Grand Rapids police officer following a traffic stop on April 4. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) 
LANSING, MICHIGAN – APRIL 21: Dorcas Lyoya, the mother of Patrick Lyoya, listens to speakers during a rally in front of the Michigan state capital building where demonstrators were calling on the Grand Rapids police department to name, arrest and prosecute the officer that shot Patrick on April 21, 2022 in Lansing, Michigan. Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old immigrant from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, died after being shot in the back of the head by a Grand Rapids police officer following a traffic stop on April 4. A funeral service for Lyoya is scheduled for tomorrow in Grand Rapids. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
“The morale is very low. And I think we’ve seen that morale become practice when we see that there is a very low number of individuals out there that are interested in coming back to police.” Del Carmen said criminologists have seen a direct relationship between cities that have reallocated police funding to increase crime rates.
Here are some of the cities that saw major budget cuts for police departments and major upticks in crime:
- Minneapolis
- New York
- Los Angeles
- Philadelphia
- Portland
- Chicago
“I would say that there is a relationship between lack of resources that our police department receives and the increasing rates of crime that we see across the U.S.,” del Carmen agreed with the corresponding statistics — that a decrease in funding has led to an increase in crime.
From 2019 to 2020, overall crime in New York City was at an historic low — but shootings rose by 97% and murders were up 44%.
In 2021, an increase in murders, carjackings and robberies were seen in Minneapolis. Philadelphia saw the most murders it’s ever seen in 2021 — 562.
“I think things are gonna get worse before they get better,” said del Carmen.
Now, some of these cities and police departments are asking for the reversal: to refund the police in order to combat crime and recruit new officers.
President Joe Biden is urging cities and states to use federal money to fight crime this summer by investing in more police officers and mental health programs.
President Joe Biden speaks during the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, Sunday, May 15, 2022, honoring the law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2021. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) 
Police honor guards salute as the Star Spangled is played during the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, Sunday, May 15, 2022, honoring the law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2021. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) 
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland, right, attend the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service at the Capitol in Washington, Sunday, May 15, 2022, honoring the law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2021. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) 
President Joe Biden speaks during the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, Sunday, May 15, 2022, honoring the law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2021. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) 
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, place flowers on a wreath during a ceremony honoring fallen law enforcement officers at the the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, Sunday, May 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) 
President Joe Biden talks to, Joli Maye Humphrey, 7, and Jovi Kate Humphrey, 9, granddaughters of fallen law enforcement officer Wendell Humphrey of Baldwin County, Al., during the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, Sunday, May 15, 2022, honoring the law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2021. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) 
President Joe Biden speaks at the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, Sunday, May 15, 2022, honoring the law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2021. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) 
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden attend the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service at the Capitol in Washington, Sunday, May 15, 2022, honoring the law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2021. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) 
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden attend the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service at the Capitol in Washington, Sunday, May 15, 2022, honoring the law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2021. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) 
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden attend the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service at the Capitol in Washington, Sunday, May 15, 2022, honoring the law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2021. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Atlanta police are asking for $4 million in more funding than last year’s budget. Chicago is lowering police standards to get more officers on board, and several Los Angeles mayoral candidates are campaigning for more officers on the streets.
