Blaming unions would probably have worked better, back before the banking crisis forced many communities to do exactly what you suggest can't be done. That sai

Blaming unions would probably have worked better, back before the banking crisis forced many communities to do exactly what you suggest can't be done. That said, you do raise a good point that it's career-suicide to advocate reducing police budgets in the US unless absolutely necessary -- and even then it isn't ever well-received. (Which makes the (in)ability to actually reduce staffing a secondary problem, at best.) But none of that excuses continued growth in the face of plunging crime, let alone the acceleration in use of such tactics.