Public Safety Spending
The combined budget for police, fire, emergency medical services, courts, and corrections — typically the largest category in a city's general fund.
How It Works
Public safety spending typically accounts for 50-65% of general fund expenditures. Police and fire are the two largest components. Some cities include dispatch (911), animal control, building inspection, and code enforcement in this category. Public safety spending has been a flashpoint for political debate, particularly around police budgets following 2020. CitySpend tracks police and fire spending separately for granular comparison.
Related Terms
- Per Capita Spending — Total city expenditure divided by population — the standard metric for comparing spending levels across cities of different sizes.
- General Fund — The primary operating fund for a city government, covering most day-to-day services like police, fire, parks, and administration.
About This Definition
This definition is part of the CitySpend Municipal Finance Glossary — 59 terms explaining how city governments fund and manage public services. All definitions are written in plain language for taxpayers, journalists, students, and municipal bond investors.