Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley Calls for Unity Amid Early Challenges in 2021

MILWAUKEE, WI – In response to a rash of violence to open the New Year, including the senseless shooting of a 13-year-old girl here in Milwaukee County, County Executive David Crowley released the following statement calling for unity moving ahead:

“The first week of the new year proved to be every bit as challenging as the year that came before it. Last week, we were reminded of the long road ahead to achieve racial equity and dismantle systemic racism with the charging decision of the Kenosha County District Attorney’s office. Not even 24 hours later, we witnessed one of the darkest days in our nation’s history as violent insurrectionists, enabled by elected officials at the highest level of government, attempted to overturn the results of the 2020 election by force ending in the unfortunate deaths of five individuals. And, just this past weekend, we saw senseless gun violence take another young life right here in our backyard.

“2020 was one of the roughest years our community has faced in a long time and to see the new year begin in similar fashion is upsetting for us all.  The fact is that many of the conditions that made things uniquely difficult last year still exist today. The pandemic, heightened political tensions, and global economic downturn are all still with us in 2021.

“Our region closed the year with a record amount of emergency calls for homicides, suicide attempts, drug overdoses and mental health crisis. Milwaukee County is doing all it can to alleviate the financial, physical, and mental stress residents are facing, but in order to rise to the challenge in 2021 we need to have all hands on-deck as one county committed to making life better for each and every resident.

“The past week should serve as a wake-up call to all of us that flipping the pages on a calendar will not solve our problems. A new year presents a new opportunity for us to continue the difficult, but important work needed to successfully navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, prioritize serving communities and neighborhood blocks that have historically been underserved, and turn our racial equity goals into a reality.

“Now, more than ever, the time for our County to come together and focus on finding solutions to our hardships is now. We cannot move forward divided. We are all accountable for making our community a better, safe, and healthier place to live.”

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.