From Defund to Rebuild: A Turning Point for Security

By Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC) 

 
The “Defund the Police” movement has collapsed. What began as a post-2020 policy experiment in a handful of major U.S. cities has now been reversed—driven by a lack of public support, a surge in crime, and growing recognition that underfunding police undermines both public safety and the private security ecosystem. 

For the electronic security industry, this shift is unequivocally good news: more funding, more officers, and stronger public-private partnerships mean better alarm response, improved crime prevention, and renewed confidence in protective systems. 

Seattle: A Case Study in Verified Response and Policy Reversal 

Seattle provides one of the clearest examples of this policy cycle. Amid officer attrition and budget reductions, the city adopted a verified response policy, meaning police would no longer respond to burglar alarms unless a crime could be visually verified by a private security company or video system. The stated reason? Staffing shortages. 

From 2020 to 2023, Seattle’s police department lost over 500 officers. By 2024, the city council formally reversed course. In March 2024, Seattle’s City Council unanimously passed a resolution ending any association with “defund” ideology. It committed to rebuilding the department, restoring response capacity, and reinvesting in officer hiring and retention. Councilmembers stated unequivocally: “The ‘Defund’ movement is over.” 

SIAC is now working closely with the Security Integration & Life Safety Association of the Northwest to replace Seattle’s verified response policy with an up-to-date and strongly enforced model ordinance. 

Public Opinion Never Backed It 

Despite significant media attention, “Defund the Police” was never broadly supported. A 2021 USA Today poll found that only 18% of Americans favored reducing police funding, while 58% opposed it. Subsequent Pew Research studies showed growing demand for increased police funding by late 2021, up from 31% the year before. 

Even in Minneapolis—considered ground zero for the movement—56% of voters rejected a 2021 ballot measure to dismantle the police department. 

The “Re-Policing Effect” and Crime Trends 

The consequences of defunding were measurable. A 2025 study by the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund (LELDF) found that across 15 major cities, police stops and arrests dropped 40% after 2020, contributing to 7,000 excess homicides by 2021. 

As departments began rebuilding and re-engaging proactively, homicides fell by an average of 39% between 2021 and 2024. This “re-policing effect” underscores a central truth: crime rises when enforcement drops—and declines when police have the tools and manpower to act. 

Security Industry Impacts: Alarm Response and Law Enforcement Coordination 

Security customers depend on consistent and timely police response to alarms to protect lives and property. Staffing shortages—driven by budget cuts and attrition—have been cited as the number one reason agencies consider reducing or eliminating traditional alarm response protocols. 

With cities recommitting to police funding, the security industry stands to benefit in several key ways: 

• Restored Alarm Response: More officers should translate into faster, more reliable responses to both verified and unverified alarms. 

• Enhanced Public-Private Coordination: Stronger departments enable better partnerships with private security integrators, especially as technologies like AI-based video verification and smart sensors become more prevalent. 

• Greater System Value: Customers are more likely to invest in security systems when meaningful police response is a proven deterrent and enforcement tool.  

A Welcome Shift for Security Professionals

City leaders now recognize that safety requires investment—not only in police, but also in mental health professionals, call-triaging systems, and integrated technology platforms. Yet none of that functions effectively without a strong police foundation. 

For security dealers, integrators, and monitoring providers, this renewed public and political support for law enforcement signals a better environment for collaboration, trust, and effective alarm handling.