Blaming unions would probably have worked better, back before the banking crisis forced many communities to do exactly what you suggest can't be done.

That said, you do raise a good point that it's career-suicide to advocate reducing police budgets in the US unless absolutely necessary -- and even then it isn't ever well-received.

(Which makes the (in)ability to actually reduce staffing a secondary problem, at best.)

But none of that excuses continued growth in the face of plunging crime, let alone the acceleration in use of such tactics.