Don’t believe MPD’s lies. Get the Facts

Claim: The MPD was defunded
The Facts: The MPD has an annual half billion dollar budget

Learn more about the MPD budget at the DC Defund MPD coalition

> The DC Metropolitan Police Department was not defunded.

> This year’s MPD budget is approximately $526,000,000.

> MPD alone has 3,519 officers.

A graphic that reads myth: "the MPD needs more officers", Fact: there are 3,519 officers in the MPD, DC has more police per capita than any other major city in the US


> There are at least 24 other law enforcement agencies in DC, totalling at least 4,000 to well over 20,000 additional law enforcement officers in the city at any time.

> DC has more police per capita than any other major US city and spends more on police per capita than any major city.

Claim: MPD needs more officers to fight crime
The Facts: More cops do not equal safety

Learn more about copaganda at the DC Defund MPD coalition

Graphic that reads: fact: fears of rising crime are fueled by perceptions not data. The bar chart below shows that crimes reported by MPD from FBI data have in fact decreased considerably from 2016-2020, with a spike in 2019.


> “Crime” itself is a constructed category – what counts as “crime” is always shifting to justify an ever expanding MPD.

> “Crime” has been higher in the past when MPD had even more cops.

> While fears around rising crime are understandable the data does not support them; these fears are fueled by perceptions not facts.

> The DC Council’s own Police Reform Commission recommended reducing the police force to benefit public safety (a recommendation that has been largely ignored).

Claim: MPD uses its money to keep us safe
The Facts: MPD actively causes harm

> Not only has MPD and its half billion budget not stopped community violence it has caused huge amounts of harm and violence.


> MPD spends its money on surveillance of racial justice organizations while ignoring threats from right-wing organizations.

> In 2020, the MPD’s top 25 overtime earners made almost $7 million in total. Money earned while harassing and brutalizing people protesting police violence.

A graphic that reads myth: "the MPD uses its money to keep us safe", fact: MPD spends its money on cops who surveil and harass people, in 2020 MPD's top 25 overtime earners made more than $7 million

> MPD’s top three overtime earners in 2020 each made more than $300,000.

Claim: DC residents want more police
The Facts: DC residents know that more police do not keep us safe

> 16,000 DC residents spoke out in 2020 to demand that the DC Council cut the MPD budget and invest that funding in community resources.

A green graphic that reads fact: more than 16,000 DC residents demanded that the DC council cut the MPD budget


Learn more about policing and criminalization in DC and what you can do at these organizations’ websites:

> Black Lives Matter DC

> SURJ DC (focused on organizing white folks)

> DC Defund MPD

> Stop Police Terror Project DC

> PACA DMV

> Malcolm X Grassroots Movement

> Black Swan Academy

> Vendedores Unidos/ Vendors United

> Sanctuary DMV

> Harriet’s Wildest Dreams

> Metro DC DSA