State investment will help address local violence

This morning’s announcement that Governor Tony Evers is allocating $45 million of the state’s American Rescue Plan Act funds to support violence prevention efforts was a welcome one. Among the allocations were $8 million that will go directly to the City’s Office of Violence Prevention to respond to the uptick in violence and trauma with projects that take a public health approach to violence prevention.

Our Office of Violence Prevention is a tremendous asset that will only grow stronger with this influx of funding, and underscores that we must do everything we can to continue to take a balanced approach to public safety that includes investment in violence prevention and intervention, police reform, as well as a properly staffed police department.

I couldn’t agree more with Governor Evers’ sentiment that violence and its effects on kids, families, and communities are not inevitable, and I thank him for recognizing this and taking action. We still have much work to do, but together we can make Milwaukee safer.

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.