Rep. Madison Believes Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention Creates an Opportunity to Invest in Community

MADISON, WI – This morning, Governor Evers signed Executive Order #254, establishing the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention.

Representative Madison (D-10) issued the following statement:

“Governor Evers, through executive action, is honoring the will of the people: one of the highest priorities for Wisconsin residents across the state continues to be ensuring our communities are safe enough to live, work, and play. Through the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention, the state can begin to establish a path to addressing the root causes of violence in our communities from common sense gun safety to reducing the criminalization of addiction to critical mental health services.

The cost of gun violence is unequal and has devastated communities, causing up to $500 billion in economic losses nationwide per year. Black trans women are the most likely to experience violence and Black men are the most likely to experience gun violence.

In 2020, at the start of the pandemic, my brother was shot in his bed by a man with a handgun; his girlfriend was also shot six times, but thankfully survived. My brother did not. The man who killed my brother and nearly killed my brother’s girlfriend was convicted of multiple felonies and should not have had access to a firearm. If Wisconsin had implemented common sense gun laws and this office was established, my brother would likely be alive today.

I am hopeful that the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention will listen to community demands to invest in programs that prevent violence in communities as opposed to the current bandage solutions we continue to invest in.

The office, the Legislature, and the Governor must invest in improving people’s material needs in order to create stronger and safer communities. Instead, Legislative Republicans’ answer to public safety is to strip away economic, political, and social rights while criminalizing poverty and locking people up for longer and longer.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.