Tiffany Holds Press Conference Calling on David Crowley to Answer for Milwaukee County Inmate Tablet Failures
MILWAUKEE, WI – Tom Tiffany held a press conference Tuesday calling for answers about Milwaukee County’s inmate tablet program and whether its contractor has faced financial penalties following reported abuses.
In May, it was revealed that an inmate attempted to contact a domestic abuse victim more than 1,500 times while in custody and threatened a police officer. Months later, Judge David Borowski raised new concerns after a defendant charged with three homicides used a county-issued device to intimidate witnesses.
“David Crowley knew there was a serious problem in May, and he did nothing to fix it,” Tiffany said. “No meaningful new safeguards. No changes to the program. No accountability. Months later, we are right back where we started, with another defendant using a county-issued tablet to intimidate witnesses.”
The contract David Crowley approved includes financial penalties when inmates gain unauthorized access to applications or unapproved networks, including a $2,500 penalty for each occurrence of unauthorized application or website access.
Tiffany called on David Crowley to disclose whether penalties have been assessed against Milwaukee County’s inmate-communications contractor and what safeguards have been implemented since May.
“As governor, I will put victims first, hold violent offenders accountable, and make public safety a top priority. Victims should be able to trust that the justice system will protect them. Taxpayers should not be footing the bill for inmate tablets. Nonviolent offenders should have opportunities to rehabilitate and may purchase tablets at their own expense, but violent offenders, including murderers and sex offenders, will not have access,” Tiffany concluded.
This is part of a broader pattern in David Crowley’s record on public safety:
- In 2018, David Crowley was one of just 10 members of the Legislature to vote against legislation revoking the driver’s licenses of repeat drunk drivers with four or more qualifying OWI offenses.
- In 2020, David Crowley was one of just 10 members of the Legislature again to vote against legislation requiring fifth- and sixth-time drunk drivers to serve at least 18 months in prison.
- That same year, David Crowley voted against legislation imposing tougher felony penalties on people who intimidate victims of domestic abuse.
- In 2025, Milwaukee County failed to properly notify the court and district attorney when a man charged with murder was released from a mental health facility into the community. Crowley called it an “isolated incident.”
- In April 2026, Milwaukee County mistakenly released a juvenile facing a felony murder charge despite a court order that he remain in custody.
- In May 2026, a Milwaukee County inmate contacted his domestic abuse victim more than 1,500 times while behind bars.
- Months later, another defendant, charged with killing three people, used a county-issued device to intimidate witnesses. Another accessed child pornography.
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.
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