MPD Received Donation to Purchase Ballistic Shields for Patrol Officers

MILWAUKEE, WI – Tuesday, January 24, 2023 – With the proliferation of guns and other firearms, the job of Milwaukee Police Officers has grown more dangerous. In recent years, several Milwaukee Police Department officers have been injured by gunfire or shot at while on duty.

To help better protect officers in life-threatening situations, the Milwaukee Police Foundation has purchased new special tactical ballistic shields. The shields can withstand rifle rounds, and each district will have ballistic shields available to patrol officers when they respond to high-risk calls.

The purchase was made thanks to a donation by Minnesota-based Johnson Brothers, a family-owned wine, spirits, and beer distributor. The company has been operating in Milwaukee since 1975.

“We appreciate the partnership with the Milwaukee Police Foundation, who helped facilitate the purchase of these shields,” said Milwaukee Police Department Chief Jeffrey Norman. “I also want to express my sincere gratitude to Johnson Brothers for their generous donation that made this purchase possible. We can’t thank them enough.”

With these shields as an added layer of safety, officers are better protected when facing danger while on the job.

“The purchase of these lifesaving ballistic shields represents our core mission at the Foundation – to help provide critical tools and resources the MPD needs to build community trust and provide for officer safety and wellness,” said Mark McClain, President of the Milwaukee Police Foundation.

“We appreciate the work of the brave men and women of the Milwaukee Police Department,” said Bill Anderson, President of Johnson Brothers of Wisconsin. “They put their lives on the line every day, and this donation is simply our way of saying ‘thank you’ and a token of our appreciation for the critical work they do every day in keeping our community safe.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.