Psaki suggested the rise in crime was due to increasing gun violence but revealed a lack of funding and resources to specific police departments could be perpetuating the problem.
"Well, I think we should be responsible in how we're reporting to the public what the roles are and what the reasons are for the surge in crime," Psaki told reporters at the White House press briefing. "Gun violence is a huge reason for the surge in crime. Underfunding of some police departments and their need for additional resources, something the president has advocated for consistently through the course of his career, that's something we know we need to take action on."
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"Most people who want to fight crime would agree that's the right approach," she went on.
The question comes as a group of Republican senators led by Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Tim Scott, R-S.C., issued an announcement Friday, showing concern over a suggested executive order by the Biden Administration on law enforcement.
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The order would ban the transfer of nonlethal military tools, like armored vehicles and flash-bang devices, to local police departments for riot dispersion. It would impose more significant limitations on federal grant dollars.
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"Police officers will face a grim reality if this EO is enacted, and their lifesaving equipment is restricted from them," the statement declared. "Violent crime will continue to skyrocket when police officers are unable to stop these crimes and save innocent lives. We cannot understand why any elected official would want to stop law enforcement from safely doing their jobs other than to be able to tell their base of voters they are defunding the police."
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"The federal government should not be hamstringing them into conditions that Congress has not passed into law," the senators continued.
At least 13 cities broke their homicide records in 2021; specialists say staffing shortages from police retirements and resignations caused by a wave of anti-police sentiment, as well as bail reform, declining arrests, and hardships from the pandemic, have merged to form a climate of rising crime around the country. Nevertheless, there is no clear one-size-fits-all answer for every city seeing a surge in crime.
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Cities that broke homicide records in 2021 include Portland, Ore.; Rochester, N.Y.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Columbus, Ohio; Baton Rouge, La.; Austin, Texas; Albuquerque, N.M.; Tucson, Ariz.; Louisville, Ky.; Toledo, Ohio; and St. Paul, Minn.
All 13 cities are led by Democratic mayors.
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