If there were any lingering doubts, last month’s elections made one thing crystal clear: the “Defund the Police” movement has been a colossal failure. Across the nation, Americans delivered a resounding message — they’re done with politicians who prioritize criminals over law enforcement. Yet, the damage wrought by this reckless experiment will take years to undo. The movement undermined and demoralized police forces, fueled crime waves, and cost countless innocent lives.

The election results were a decisive rejection of the defund agenda, with Kamala Harris as one of its loudest early advocates. Harris, who once championed “reimagining” policing and dismissed the idea of safety through increased police presence, faced a resounding defeat. Her opponent’s pledge to maintain and support law enforcement resonated with voters, affirming their trust in a strong police presence.

Pro-police and anticrime sentiments dominated the Nov. 5 elections. In a major blow to progressive policies, 12 of 25 George Soros-backed soft-on-crime prosecutors were either defeated or recalled, even in traditionally blue areas.

Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon suffered a staggering 24-point loss to tough-on-crime challenger Nathan Hochman. Meanwhile, in liberal California, voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 36, reinstating stricter sentences for drug and theft crimes — a clear repudiation of lenient policies.

The public backlash was predictable given the chaos unleashed by defunding efforts. Following George Floyd’s death in 2020, cities across the U.S. slashed police budgets by hundreds of millions, leading to a mass exodus of officers. Between 2019 and 2021, the number of full-time state and local officers dropped by 5.3%, leaving communities with nearly 37,000 fewer protectors. Response times slowed, and violent crime surged by 3.8%, with homicides experiencing a historic 29.4% jump in 2020 alone.

The consequences extended far beyond violent crime. Many cities dismantled School Resource Officer programs, leading to a surge in school shootings — over 300 annually for the past two years.

Progressive policies like no-cash bail have emboldened criminals, creating a revolving-door justice system that endangers communities and frustrates law enforcement. Retail theft has skyrocketed, with 40% of retail workers now considering quitting due to safety concerns.

Youth crime has spiraled, with carjackings in Washington, D.C., nearly doubling last year, and the average age of offenders just 15. Meanwhile, illegal immigration has diverted resources, forcing some cities to cut police funding to accommodate migrants.

Thankfully, the tide is turning. Cities and states are beginning to reverse course, restoring police budgets and rolling back failed policies. Minneapolis, which cut $8 million from its police budget in 2020, reinstated $7 million two years later to address staffing shortages.

Oregon abandoned its experiment with decriminalized hard drugs after record overdoses and rampant homelessness proved the policy untenable. The toxic rhetoric that fueled violence against police officers has also subsided, contributing to a 7% drop in officers shot and a 40% reduction in ambush-style attacks compared to 2023.

However, the fallout from the defund movement won’t be erased overnight. The loss of experienced officers and the erosion of public safety will take years to recover from. Many pro-criminal district attorneys remain in power, and much of the damage occurred at state and local levels, where further corrective action is crucial.

Still, there’s reason for optimism.

The pendulum is finally swinging back toward pro-police, anticrime policies, reaffirming the fundamental truth: a well-funded, fully staffed police force is indispensable to keeping America safe. Let the lessons of this failed experiment serve as a warning — public safety must never again take a backseat to radical political agendas.

What are your thoughts on the “Defund the Police” movement? Will the Left eventually abandon this movement altogether or will they double down on it? Let us know in the comments below!