The killing of George Floyd has sparked a movement to defund the police that has gained unprecedented support across the nation. Despite a sharp decline in crime rates since the early 1990s, the United States is spending more on policing than ever, about $143 billion in 2015 alone.

As the U.S. grapples with the recent killings of Black Americans George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by local law enforcement, calls to “defund the police” have gained momentum in progressive circles across the count