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Seattle Rethinks ‘Defunding the Police’ as Homicide Rises by 24 Percent

Defunding the police was one of the dumbest and most destructive ideas ever advanced by the left.

In Seattle, city leaders are reconsidering this nonsense now that crime is surging. Homocides are way up, as well as car theft and other serious crimes.

Why have the taxpayers of this city put up with this for so long?

FOX News reports:

Seattle reverses course on defunding police as crime ravages locals: ‘A huge crisis’

Seattle residents Victoria Beach, Eli Hoshor and Jonathan Choe said police shortages have left their city in dire straits in the aftermath of officials’ anti-law enforcement rhetoric.

Homicides skyrocketed by 24% while motor vehicle thefts climbed by 30% in the city last year. Overall crime ticked up by 4%.

Mayor Bruce Harrell pushed for increased police presence to curb the issue Tuesday, saying, “We need immediate action and innovation to respond to our public safety issues… Seattle saw a 4% rise in reported crime last year… We need more officers to address our staffing crisis.”

Still, some residents’ outlook is less than optimistic.

“Right now, I don’t have a lot of hope,” Beach told Todd Piro Wednesday on “Fox & Friends First.”

“I think the mayor is on the right track, but Seattle is in a huge crisis. Our city has been destroyed, and we’re not going to get it back anytime soon,” she added.

Beach said she agrees that the city needs more police to help cut back on crime, saying the situation is currently a “free for all.”

“If you want to commit a crime, move to Seattle,” she said.

The mayor seems to be in over his head.

TRYING TO BUY TIME: @MayorofSeattle taking political gamble by admitting he doesn’t have “exact blueprint” in place to address concerns lingering in downtown. But some biz owners+neighbors victimized by crime are done waiting. #Seattle pic.twitter.com/YN1PUVEViU

— Jonathan Choe Journalist (Seattle) (@choeshow) February 22, 2023

The city can’t even retain police officers.

EXCLUSIVE: Seattle Police Dept. lost 12 officers in January and hired 8. So far in February, they lost 3 additional officers.

This puts total officers lost since the BLM riots and defund movement to roughly 525 — a full third of the department. Unsurprisingly, crime is soaring.

— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) February 13, 2023