The cost of policing Moral Mondays is growing, and some aren't happy about who is picking up the bill. Usually, protests on state property are handled by the State Capitol Police and the General Assembly Police. But since a 2011 budget cut, state capitol police have been down 40 staff members—almost half the force.
State Police Chief Glenn Allen says the cut limits what his force can do.
"It's been an extremely difficult challenge for the State Capitol Police,” Allen says. “We're definitely paying the price at this time by having a lot of difficulty staffing the places we need to be."
The law cutting the police force also specified that the Raleigh Police Department must step in to help whenever requested, something they’ve done with the Moral Mondays protests. So far, the protests have cost them them almost $70,000. Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane has asked the state to pay the money back to her city.