An October 2 interim report from the House Judiciary examined the uptick in violent crime in recent years in “major American cities” and found that Biden-Harris policies have “endanger[ed ]Americans” and “made American communities less safe.”

The Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance cited the “misguided and dangerous ‘defund the police’ movement,” the downgrading of serious crimes by “rogue prosecutors,” Democrat-run localities, and a failure to “prosecute firearms laws already on the books” as reasons for the “surge in violent crime.”

According to the report, the House Judiciary directly interviewed “crime victims, law enforcement officials, advocates, and residents of major cities” in their effort to understand how everyday Americans are affected by Left-leaning policies. Americans reported feeling “powerless… and ignored by the district attorneys in positions of power.”

In addition, law enforcement officers reportedly shared stories of “continually putting their lives on the line, only to see the violent criminals they arrest set free.” Indeed, it seems bail reform in cities like New York and San Francisco has arguably made neighborhoods and police officers “less safe.”

The Committee examined public safety policies and related budget cuts in four major metropolitan areas; New York City, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. Starting around 2020, these cities were leaders in the “defund the police” movement, cutting their law enforcement budgets significantly.

Regarding reductions in police department budgets, the House investigation reported NYC cut its police department funding by $1 billion in 2020. Chicago, under Mayor Lightfoot, cut its Chicago Police Department (CPD) by $80 million. Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia reduced their police........

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