For decades, policing has been caught in a political tug-of-war. One moment, cities are slashing budgets and scaling back enforcement. Next, they’re pumping money back into departments, expecting different results. This reactionary cycle—defund, refund, repeat—has shaped public safety discussions but has done little to create real, lasting change.
The Defund vs. Refund Debate: A False Choice
Following the George Floyd protests in 2020, the “defund the police” movement gained traction, arguing for a shift in resources from law enforcement to social services. In response, some cities made symbolic funding cuts—only to reverse them within months as crime concerns rose, leading to the “refund the police” push. As former Longmont, Colorado Public Safety Chief Mike Butler explains, this political pendulum is nothing new:
“This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this cycle. Policing has always been subject to reactionary shifts—one moment, the push is to scale back, and the next, it’s to double down. But the real question is: Are we actually making communities safer?”
This debate ignores the larger truth—funding alone doesn’t fix the issues communities and police departments face. More money doesn’t automatically lead to better policing, just as less money doesn’t necessarily create better alternatives. What’s needed isn’t more funding or less funding, but rather a reallocation of resources in a way that truly serves public safety.
The Yo-Yo Effect in Policing
One of the key issues fueling this cycle is what Mike calls the “yo-yo effect”—where policing is constantly pushed between extremes, often dictated by politics rather than strategy. He describes how police departments experience dramatic shifts in public sentiment:
“One day, police are told to be gentle with the homeless. Six months later, they’re ordered to arrest and remove encampments. Officers are caught between conflicting directives that shift based on who’s in office, rather than what actually works.”
This instability demoralizes officers, erodes public trust, and prevents long-term, sustainable solutions. It also overlooks a key reality—the social and health issues driving crime cannot be solved by enforcement alone.
The Recidivism Trap: Why Policing Needs a New Approach
A major symptom of this flawed system is recidivism, or the cycle in which individuals repeatedly enter and exit the criminal justice system. As Mike Butler explains:
“Recidivism rates in the U.S. range from 50 to 70 percent. We looked at hundreds of people we arrested for felony property crimes in one year, and on average, each had been arrested nine times before. By the time we arrested them again, it was their tenth.”
This statistic highlights a hard truth: the criminal justice system has become the default solution for social and health issues, yet it consistently fails to produce lasting change. Instead of breaking the cycle, it perpetuates it.
“We haven’t asked the hard question: Why do we keep using the same system when it clearly doesn’t work? If a mechanic failed to fix your car ten times, would you keep going back to them?” — Mike Butler
Kristin Daley adds:
“We need to recognize that over-policing and under-supporting communities are two sides of the same coin. Real safety isn’t about reaction—it’s about investment in people, relationships, and long-term solutions.”
Project PACT’s Alternative: Repurposing, Not Just Refunding
Instead of getting caught in the defund/refund loop, Project PACT proposes a different approach: repurposing policing to address root causes rather than symptoms. As Kristin Daley explains:
“Maybe it’s not about defund or refund—it’s about reallocating resources. Do we want police departments spending money on militaristic equipment, or do we want to invest in training that focuses on empathy, community engagement, and de-escalation?”
Mike echoes this, emphasizing that policing must evolve beyond its outdated enforcement-first model:
“We have to stop seeing police officers as just enforcers. Their role should be broader—acting as problem-solvers, connectors, and facilitators of public safety. That’s the future of policing.”
Leveraging Social Capital Over Enforcement
One of the most profound ideas discussed in this episode is the concept of social capital as a tool for public safety. Project PACT focuses on expanding what’s already working, rather than trying to police what isn’t. Mike explains:
“Communities aren’t problems to be fixed. They are possibilities waiting to be realized. We need to focus on what’s good, what’s working, and how we can expand those strengths to crowd out the things we don’t want.”
This means shifting focus from reactive enforcement to proactive community-building. Programs like New Blue’s Care Card initiative—where officers connect individuals with services instead of defaulting to arrest—demonstrate how policing can be repurposed to create lasting change.
Moving Forward: Transcending the Cycle
The conversation around police funding needs to move past simplistic slogans and toward practical, long-term solutions. Rather than defund or refund, the real work lies in repurposing, reallocating, and reimagining public safety in a way that serves both officers and communities. As Mike puts it:
“We don’t need more bandaids. We need a fundamental shift in how we approach safety—one that builds trust, empowers communities, and ensures that policing is about service, not just enforcement.”
Join the Movement
Project PACT offers a path beyond the refund/defund debate, focusing on collaborative solutions that work. Visit ProjectPACT.org to learn more, sign up for the newsletter, and download Safety in Our Hands—a guide to rethinking public safety in your community.
Together, we can move beyond bandaid solutions and create a future where safety is shared, sustainable, and rooted in community strength.
