A new study shows that the Democrat-controlled state of Washington was recently ranked as the most dangerous state to live in for 2024 due to persistent crime and a major shortage of police officers.
A recent study from WalletHub, which ranked all 50 U.S. states for safety by considering the number of law enforcement personnel per capita, property crime statistics, violent crime statistics, and the number of traffic-related deaths, revealed that Washington state was the most dangerous state to live in this year.
The Post Millennial reported that Washington currently has the least police officers per capita in the United States. The outlet noted that the state began rapidly losing police officers following the 2020 Black Lives Matter riots sparked by the death of George Floyd.
In response to the Black Lives Matter protests, the Seattle City Council voted to defund the city’s police department, resulting in the lowest number of Seattle police officers since the 1950s, according to The Post Millennial.
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To address the shortage of law enforcement officers, the Seattle Police Department recently announced that it would be allowing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients to apply for law enforcement positions following the approval of the state’s Senate Bill 6157 legislation. The Post Millennial noted that DACA recipients are individuals who illegally entered the United States as minors under former President Barack Obama’s administration and were able to defer deportation action.
According to The Post Millennial, the Democrat-run state legislature has approved multiple policies targeting law enforcement in recent years, such as restricting police pursuits. The outlet noted that the new policies have resulted in a significant increase in crime, resulting in Washington having one of the highest levels of car theft in the United States.
KUOW reported that Seattle also set a new record for homicides in 2023. Meanwhile, The Post Millennial reported that the state’s property crime rate is currently the worst in the country. The state also has high theft, kidnapping, abduction, and larceny rates.
Washington has also been listed as one of the top states facing homelessness and drug issues.
