Defund the police

In the United States, "defund the police" is a slogan advocating for reallocating funds from police departments to non-policing forms of public safety and community support initiatives, such as social services, youth programs, housing, education, healthcare, and other community resources. The goals of those using the slogan vary; some support modest budget reductions, while others advocate for full divestment as part of a broader effort to abolish contemporary policing systems.

Proponents of defunding police departments argue that investing in community-based programs can more effectively address the root causes of crime, such as poverty, homelessness,^[1][2] and mental health conditions, thereby serving as a better deterrent. Police abolitionists propose replacing traditional police forces with alternative public safety models, emphasizing housing, employment, community health, education, and other social support systems.^[3][4][5]

The "defund the police" slogan became common during the George Floyd protests starting in May 2020.^[6] According to J Wortham and Matthew Yglesias, the slogan was popularized by the Black Visions Collective shortly after the murder of George Floyd.^[7][8]

Black Lives Matter (BLM), the Movement for Black Lives, and other activists have used the phrase to advocate for reallocating police budgets and delegating certain responsibilities to alternative organizations.^[9][10][11] In Black Reconstruction in America, first published in 1935, W. E. B. Du Bois wrote about "abolition-democracy", which advocated for the removal of institutions that were rooted in racist and repressive practices, including prisons, convict leasing, and white police forces. In the 1960s, activists such as Angela Davis advocated for the defunding or abolition of police departments.^[12] The 2017 book The End of Policing by Alex S. Vitale has been described as a guide for the defund movement.^[13]

The police defunding movement has faced criticism from sociologists, criminologists, and journalists.^[14][15][16] In the United States, despite its association with left-wing and Democratic Party policies,^[17][18][19] politicians from both the Democratic and Republican parties have opposed the concept. Republicans have sought to link Democrats to the movement during political campaigns.^[20] Public opinion in the United States has generally been unfavorable toward defunding, with a May 2021 poll indicating 18% support and 58% opposition.^{[21][22][20][23]}

A 2024 study found no evidence of significant police defunding in major U.S. cities following the George Floyd protests, while cities with higher Republican vote shares often increased police budgets.^[24] According to The New York Times, the movement has failed to achieve substantial policy change, partly due to a lack of clear goals. The slogan itself was deemed unpopular and used to portray activists as lenient on crime.^[25]