Sheriff Earnell R. Lucas Statement on the Breach of the U.S. Capitol Building

Milwaukee, WI   (January 6, 2021) Sheriff Earnell R. Lucas issued the following statement regarding the challenge to our democracy in our nation’s capital:

“Today, as our democracy was exercising its authority to certify the 2020 Presidential election results, individuals stormed the United States Capitol Building, causing a halt to the Electoral College certification process. Law enforcement quickly evacuated the members of Congress and the people inside the Capitol to safety. Several law enforcement agencies in the Washington D.C. area are assisting in restoring calm in our nation’s capital so that the democratic process of a peaceful transition of power can take place.

Closer to home, the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) has been in communication with our Federal, state and local law enforcement partners to ensure against a breach of the peace in Milwaukee County. The MCSO has not received any credible threat or information to believe that there is a threat to the tranquility and safety of our area. The MCSO will continue to communicate with our law enforcement partners and monitor multiple sources to ensure the safety of our people and institutions.

For almost two hundred and fifty years, our democracy has stood as a bright, shining “city on a hill” as once echoed by former President Ronald Reagan. It has stood against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and has withstood disasters, pandemics and economic calamities. Our country will withstand this challenge to our democracy and continue to be the country whose resolve and resilience are the envy of the world.”