Police Pay Accountability Project
Across America, cities and counties are quietly cutting police budgets, leaving departments understaffed and officers without the resources they need to do their jobs. We expose the funding gaps — and fight to fix them.
38
Departments Underfunded
11K+
Officer Positions Eliminated
22
States with Budget Cuts
Latest Findings
Municipal governments are eliminating officer positions, freezing hiring, and slashing equipment budgets — all without ever using the word 'defund.' We tracked the numbers.
When departments lose officers to budget cuts, response times surge and officer safety deteriorates. This report documents the human cost of political budget decisions.
From outdated vehicles to deferred body camera programs, budget freezes are leaving officers without the tools they need — and the public without the protection they deserve.
34%
average budget reduction in tracked cities
"It's not called 'defund' anymore. It's called a 'budget reallocation.' The result for officers on the ground is the same."
Why It Matters
The playbook has changed. Cities no longer campaign on defunding the police — they simply don't fund them. Hiring freezes. Equipment deferrals. Pension raids. The cuts are real, they are growing, and they are being obscured by bureaucratic language designed to avoid accountability.
Officers deserve to know what their city is doing to their department. Communities deserve to know what they're losing. We track the budgets, publish the data, and give officers and advocates the evidence they need to fight back.
The Cuts Are Real. The Data Proves It.
Every report we publish is free, sourced, and built for action. Find your city, see the numbers, and take the fight to your local government.