United States: increase in police budget to fight against departures

Almost everywhere in the United States, the amounts granted to the police have been increased, brought back to their initial level or even beyond this year: $ 200,000 more in New York, for example.

Getty Images via AFP - SPENCER PLATT

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1 min

The funds allocated to the American police were cut in 2020, following the protests against the police violence that followed the death of George Floyd.

This year, the trend is again reversed with significant budget increases, in particular to fight against the departure of police officers.

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With our correspondent in New York,

This was one of the main demands of the thousands of demonstrators who marched in the streets for months in 2020: to cut police budgets to invest in disadvantaged communities and organizations that help them.

In New York, hundreds of people camped outside city hall to put pressure on the mayor during the budget vote.

Finally, the envelope granted to the NYPD was reduced by a billion dollars.

Similar decisions had been adopted in Minneapolis, Dallas and Los Angeles.

This year things are different.

Almost everywhere, the amounts granted to the police have been increased, brought back to their initial level or even beyond: 200,000 dollars more in New York, for example.

Decisions due in particular to the increase in crime recorded throughout the country.

But also to the many departures that affect the ranks of the police.

A recent study published by

explains that retirements have increased by 45% and resignations by 20%.

In Vermont, the city of Burlington is going so far as to offer bonuses of $ 10,000 to encourage police to stay.

Asked about the reasons for these departures, some police officers explained that they were tired of the pressure and the negative image attributed to the American police over the past two years.

► Big report: After George Floyd, is another police possible in the United States?

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