32 Cities Devote Most Spending to Police
One-third of state’s largest cities, including Milwaukee, spend more on police than any other function.
A third of Wisconsin’s largest cities spend more on law enforcement than any other function, according to a new analysis by the Wisconsin Budget Project.
Local governments in Wisconsin – including cities, villages, towns, and counties – spend more than $2 billion a year on law enforcement and related costs like jails. Black community leaders have called on policymakers to put that money to alternative services, shifting resources away from law enforcement and towards mental health services, housing, job assistance, and other social services.
In one-third of Wisconsin’s largest cities, or 32 out of the 100 most populous cities, policymakers have chosen to spend more on law enforcement than on anything else, including transportation, sanitation, parks and development, or fire and ambulance services. Each of these top-spending cities allocate at least $1 out of every $5 in their budgets to law enforcement. Among Wisconsin’s ten largest cities, four of them – Milwaukee, Kenosha, Racine, and Appleton – spend more on law enforcement than any other cost.
Three Wisconsin cities go even further, spending more than $1 out of every $3 in their budget on law enforcement: Glendale, Muskego, and Mequon. One thing these highest-spending cities have in common is they are all high-income areas near the City of Milwaukee, and all have a typical household income at least 25 percent higher than the Wisconsin average. In fact, the typical household in Mequon has an income almost twice as high as the typical Wisconsin household.
Recent killings by police officers have heightened concerns that local governments have used resources for law enforcement in ways that harm individuals and communities. The statistics on spending by Wisconsin cities and counties provide a chance to compare how much various municipalities are devoting to law enforcement.
If you think stories like this are important, become a member of Urban Milwaukee and help support real, independent journalism. Plus you get some cool added benefits.
More about the 2020 Racial Justice Protests
- Rep. Ryan Clancy Settles With City Following 2020 Curfew Arrest - Jeramey Jannene - Dec 12th, 2023
- Supervisor Clancy Applauds Settlement in Clancy vs. City of Milwaukee - Ryan Clancy - Dec 12th, 2023
- Tosa Protest Assails Federal Court Decision Exonerating Police - Isiah Holmes - May 9th, 2023
- Wauwatosa ‘Target List’ Trial Begins - Isiah Holmes - May 3rd, 2023
- Shorewood Spitter Found Guilty For 2020 Protest Confrontation - Jeramey Jannene - Apr 20th, 2023
- City Hall: City Will Pay 2020 George Floyd Protester $270,000 - Jeramey Jannene - Feb 14th, 2023
- Tosa Protest Tickets Dismissed - Isiah Holmes - Jul 21st, 2022
- Op Ed: ‘We Need More’ - Charles Q. Sullivan - Mar 4th, 2022
- Milwaukee Officers Circulate “2020 Riot” Coins? - Isiah Holmes - Nov 14th, 2021
- City Hall: Police Department Tweets Lied To Public - Jeramey Jannene - Oct 27th, 2021
Read more about 2020 Racial Justice Protests here
Wisconsin Budget
-
Charting The Racial Disparities In State’s Prisons
Nov 28th, 2021 by Tamarine Cornelius -
State’s $1 Billion Tax Cut Leaves Out 49% of Taxpayers
Sep 21st, 2021 by Tamarine Cornelius -
TANF Program Serves a Fraction of Poor Families
Aug 30th, 2021 by Jon Peacock