The defund efforts center on one perception....low-quality people serving as police. Some of this goes back to the 1990s, and entry requirements. Some of them moved up and actually serve as marginalized leaders now. I’m not sure that defunding is the right tool to resolve this mess now...you might end up with thousands of good quality police leaving, and the poor-quality still around.
I believe you are correct on that assessment.
"De-fund the police" is really about replacing the police with new cadres hired to much lower standards. Like Antifa rioters.
Even so, I was once an consistent supporter of police departments. Nowadays, not. They are dangerous machinery being directed by hostile operators. Being chronically short-staffed for them might be safer for us.
It is very disconcerting.