Washington State Ranks Last in Safety as Crime Soars While National Rates Decline

There was a time when we all understood the American promise. You work hard, you treat people right, and you get to feel safe in your own neighborhood. It was simple. It was the bedrock of our country. We trusted our leaders to know that their first job—their most important job—is to keep us safe.

But let’s be honest. That promise is being broken. In some parts of America, a radical idea has taken hold. It’s an idea that says criminals are the real victims and the police are the bad guys. And where that idea spreads, chaos follows. Common sense goes out the window, and streets that were once safe become places to fear.

Nowhere is this failed experiment more obvious than in Washington state. I’m not making this up. A new report just ranked Washington dead last—that’s 50th out of 50 states—for public safety. You read that right. The absolute worst in the nation. This isn’t just some fluke. It’s a crisis confirmed by the FBI’s own numbers.

While the rest of America is getting safer, Washington is becoming a lawless nightmare. Between 2019 and 2024, the national murder rate actually went down. Good news, right? Not in Washington. There, the murder rate shot up by a shocking 42 percent. It’s a tale of two countries: one where common sense is winning, and another where liberal policies are creating a disaster.

The High Cost of Failed Liberal Policies

So, how did this happen? It wasn’t an accident. It was a choice. Leaders in Washington chose policies that made it harder for police to do their jobs and easier for criminals to run wild. Don’t just take my word for it. The people in law enforcement see it every single day.

Steven D. Strachan, who heads up the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, laid it out perfectly. He knows Washington isn’t getting better like the rest of the country.

From ‘The Post Millennial’:

“You’re going to hear phrases like, ‘We’re now below pre-pandemic levels’ or ‘The pandemic crime spike has been eliminated.’ That may be true nationally, but here in Washington, we’re not seeing that. Our spike was greater, and our reductions are lower. Policy matters, and our laws matter.”

A Deliberate War on Law Enforcement

He’s right. Policy does matter. For 15 years straight, Washington has had the fewest police officers per person in the entire country. That is not a coincidence. That is a deliberate choice. They have starved their police departments and passed laws that make it nearly impossible for cops to pursue suspects or make arrests. It’s a dream for criminals.

And here’s the kicker. While they refuse to keep their citizens safe, they have no problem taking more of their money. The state’s Democratic governor just signed the biggest tax hike in Washington’s history. It’s the ultimate liberal two-step: create a disaster, then make everyone pay more for it. What exactly are the people of Washington getting for their money? The right to live in America’s most dangerous state?

The American promise of a safe home and a secure community isn’t guaranteed. It has to be defended. Washington state is the ultimate cautionary tale. It’s a flashing red light, warning all of us what happens when radical ideas replace common sense and leaders forget who they are supposed to protect.

Key Takeaways

• Liberal policies have made Washington the #1 least safe state in America.
• The state has ranked last in police staffing for 15 straight years.
• While crime soars, the government is hitting citizens with record tax hikes.
• Washington is a clear warning of what happens when the left runs a state.

Sources: The Post Millennial, NonStop Local Tri-Cities/Yakima

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