(intense tonal music) - I'm Starla Sampaco in the Crosscut KCTS 9 Newsroom.

Washington cities are steering federal recovery funds to police departments.

In 2020, the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police and the resulting Black Lives Matter demonstrations forced a reconsideration of how communities invest in public safety.

Advocates called for defunding police and spending toward programs like restorative justice courts or behavioral health outreach.

But now some local governments are doing the opposite.

Cities from Spokane to Yakima are buying their officers new cruisers.

Tacoma and Lynnwood purchased officer-worn body cameras.

Pierce County used $4 million in America Rescue Plan funds to give every sheriff's deputy a $10,000 bonus, a practice becoming so common that Seattle is now preparing to follow suit.

And in Auburn, the city used Rescue Plan money to purchase 123 new tasers.

I'm Starla Sampaco.

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