#Finally — Biden realizes refunding the police will combat crime

“This is not a time to turn our backs on law enforcement or our communities,” President Joe Biden declared Wednesday.

If only he’d spread that sentiment a year ago, when many of his fellow Democrats were calling to “Defund the police,” even as cities across the country descended into lawlessness and cops were told to stand down for fear of provoking “protesters.” How many unnecessary deaths have there been since then, when many municipalities started cutting police budgets and taking cops off the streets?

But better late than never. Biden finally understands that fewer cops can lead to more crime, particularly the kind of gun violence that’s been spiking throughout the nation. As the White House itself notes, “homicides rose 30 percent and gun assaults rose 8 percent in large cities in 2020.”

The prez laid out his plan to combat this crime creep in his Wednesday speech, aiming to get ahead of an even bigger rise. As America reopens from pandemic lockdowns, he said, the “traditional summer spike may be even more pronounced.”

Which is a bit odd, since he and his team blame the pandemic for the rise in gun violence, even though it really started to climb after the George Floyd protests and the demonizing of all police that followed. A White House fact sheet refers repeatedly to “gun violence as a result of the pandemic” and “gun violence exacerbated by the pandemic.”

At least he realizes one way to quell it is to restore resources progressive pols removed. Calling law enforcement “essential” multiple times, Biden touted his American Rescue Plan as “a once-in-a-generation effort to reduce violence in America,” with its $350 billion granted to states and localities available for crime-fighting.

Refunding the police will be essential where gun violence is having the worst effects — like New York. Former cop Eric Adams’ strong showing in Tuesday’s primary proves making public-safety a priority is a winning issue. Observers believe his commanding lead in the mayoral race will survive progressive challenges as the ranked-choice votes are tallied. An Ipsos survey released Monday showed that 55 percent of likely Dem primary voters called “crime or violence” their top issue. And Adams’ passion about public safety resonated with them: 39 percent said the Brooklyn borough president was best equipped to deal with the problem.

Those most affected by crime are those who least want to see fewer cops on the street. Hiring more could prove even more popular than the post-pandemic stimulus checks.