By In 2020, Kathleen Kelly voted to defund the police several millions of dollars resulting in a 45% spike in violent crime in Palm Desert. All crime rose by 29%. At the time she called it “smart police budgeting.”
When other cities created safe business environments, Palm Desert lost money. They thought cutting the police budget was the answer and saw skyrocketing crime.
They never went back to fix it.
Violent crime skyrocketed by 45%. Palm Desert went more that $17 million in the red.
The Palm Desert City Council did not respond and has continued to mismanage spending. One Coachella Valley city increased police spending by 25% while running a $80 million surplus.
