New investments to address reckless driving, expand pre-trial GPS supervision, while supporting evidence-based crime prevention strategies, local and tribal law enforcement agencies, and alleviating court backlogs.
Gov. Tony Evers today announced a more than $50 million investment in community safety, including nearly $19 million for local and tribal law enforcement agencies as well as funding to help alleviate the pandemic-related backlog of criminal cases through additional public defender and assistant district attorney support. The package contains investments throughout the criminal justice system, providing both the opportunity to return to pre-pandemic levels and fund evidence-based initiatives aimed at keeping Wisconsinites safe. Today’s announcement brings the governor's overall investment into violence prevention and public safety to more than $100 million, including a $45 million investment announced last year to support violence prevention efforts and crime victims.
“Last October, I was proud to announce a $45 million investment into addressing the cycle of violence and crime that for too long has gone uninterrupted. But I said then and I’ll say it again today that violence is not a foregone conclusion. It is not inevitable. There is more we can do, and this is another public health crisis that deserves our attention and our action,” said Gov. Evers. “So, today, we’re building on the investments we announced last fall and investing more than $50 million in grants to support local and tribal public safety agencies, to bolster crime prevention strategies, and to help alleviate the pandemic-related backlog of criminal cases across Wisconsin.
“Today, I’m announcing we’re investing nearly $19 million for local and tribal law enforcement agencies in every corner of the state. Whether it’s training, recruitment bonuses, community policing needs, or technology, these funds will help our local and tribal law enforcement agencies address their community’s specific public safety needs. At the end of the day, folks, from investing in mental health support and diversion to getting folks a fair and speedy trial, to bolstering re-entry programming, we’re going to follow the science and use evidence-based, data-driven strategies to build a safer, fairer Wisconsin for everyone.”
The nearly $19 million law enforcement program will provide an allocation to every local and tribal law enforcement agency in Wisconsin, enabling agencies to address the unique needs facing their communities, including training, recruitment bonuses, community policing needs, and technology investments. The determination of an agency’s amount is a formula based on the population served and includes a violent crime add-on for locations where violent crime exceeds the statewide average. Local and tribal law enforcement agencies will receive no less than $7,000, regardless of the population served.
A breakdown of the allocations for our area county law enforcement agencies:
Barron County
- Barron County SO: $69,249
- Rice Lake PD: $30,723
- Barron PD: $9,413
- Chetek PD: $7,000
- Cumberland PD: $7,000
- Cameron PD: $7,000
- Turtle Lake PD: $7,000
Burnett County
- Burnett County SO: $41,938
- Grantsburg PD: $5,964
- Siren PD: $7,000
- Webster PD: $7,000
Polk County
- Polk County SO: $79,022
- Amery PD: $7,000
- St. Croix Falls PD: $ 7,116
- Frederic PD: $7,000
- Osceola PD: $ 7,158
- Luck PD: $ 7,000
- Milltown PD: $ 7,000
- Balsam Lake - Centuria PD: $7,000
- Clayton PD: $7,000
- Clear Lake PD: $7,000
- Dresser PD: $7,000
Rusk County
- Rusk County SO: $35,057
- Ladysmith PD: $ 7,000
Sawyer County
- Sawyer County SO: $41,856
- Hayward PD: $9,412
- Hayward Town PD: $7,377
Washburn County
- Washburn County SO: $29,266
- Spooner PD: $8,849
- Birchwood PD: $7,000
- Minong PD: $7,000
- Shell Lake PD: $7,000
A full breakdown of the allocations for other counties can be found here.
Additionally, $1 million will be provided to the Wisconsin Technical College System in an effort to support part-time police academy programs in Wisconsin.
Read the full news release from Gov. Evers here.
Last Update: Mar 17, 2022 6:37 am CDT
