Thank you, Reggie Moore

Five years ago the Mayor appointed Reggie Moore to lead the Office of Violence Prevention within the Milwaukee Health Department. It would be Reggie’s role to lead the effort to reduce deadly violence and to implement programming and resources to actively promote peace in Milwaukee on behalf of the City.

Quite frankly, Reggie’s appointment to that role has been a godsend, as he has blazed a trail in making OVP a truly dynamic and nationally respected agency bent on proactively reducing violence and homicides in our city. As he now prepares to leave to become the first Director of Violence Prevention Policy and Engagement at the Medical College of Wisconsin, on behalf of the City I tip my hat to Reggie and thank him sincerely for the important work he’s done and for the leadership he has displayed.

Reggie’s work in bringing together the 414LIFE violence interrupters and in crafting the Blueprint for Peace has been outstanding, and he will be sorely missed as he’s been a vitally important asset to the City.

In part, in his letter to the Council announcing his departure, Reggie wrote: “There is no job description that can truly prepare you for this role. Violence is an intractable problem as old as civilization itself. Any effort to challenge or prevent that harm requires a level of vision, focus, and determination to see possibility and pain through the same eyes without losing hope. It requires you to provide comfort to families while navigating your own grief for the injury or death of their loved one. It demands showing up in the middle of a pandemic to ensure that people can mourn, protest, and heal in the safest way possible, while putting your own health at risk. It demands that you put the best interest of public health above politics and requires you to be surrounded by a fearless team of talented individuals who embody the true meaning of public service.”

Thank you again, Reggie, for helping to provide much needed hope and for your distinguished work as a true public servant.

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.