GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Governor Tony Evers stopped in Green Bay on Tuesday to tout the state’s latest investment in local law enforcement agencies.
The $50 million grant program includes $19 million for local and tribal law enforcement agencies as well as more than $16 million in funding to help alleviate the pandemic-related backlog of criminal cases through additional public defender and assistant district attorney support.
“Violence is not a foregone conclusion. There’s more that we can do, and this is another public health crisis that deserves our attention and our action,” Evers said. “Which is giving our local leaders the resources and flexibility they need to address the unique challenges facing their communities.”
The Green Bay Police Department is receiving $391,107.98 through the program.
“This is really a welcome investment. Our communities have been under stress for the last 2 years in particular as we’ve navigated this pandemic, and as a result, our police officers have have been under incredible stress and duress,” said Mayor Eric Genrich. “I don’t think the chief will have any problem putting these resources to work. There a lot of needs we have within this department, and a nearly $400,000 investment is incredibly welcome news for us.”
Watch the full press conference here:
Green Bay Police Chief Chris Davis says he hears every day from community members who are concerned about public safety issues in the city.
“Things like violent crime and gun violence, traffic safety, increases that we’re seeing in property crime and things like catalytic converter and vehicle theft, and a growing problem with drug overdoses and substance use disorder,” Davis said. “They want good public safety service to address these issues, but they want it done the right way. They want it done in a way that is compassionate, and in a way that’s fair, and in a way that respects people’s rights.”
Davis says the investment in public safety service provides an opportunity for the department to do even better, and to leverage new resources against those issues. But the issues across the community aren’t the only thing that funding will address.
“Obviously we just found out about this since it’s a little early to say specifically how much goes for what but certainly gun violence is one of our highest public safety priorities in the community…We’ve already identified a lot of funding for gun violence prevention and reduction. Certainly, this can augment those efforts,” Davis said. “[We can] deal with some issues that we all have across the profession in recruiting and retaining talent, to make investments in community policing programs and accountability processes that work and that can give the public confidence and its police service.”
More specific proposals to plan the highest return on investment are expected down the line.
“I never want to say that we’re not going to be able to do something that we need to do to provide the best possible public safety service in the community, but this certainly makes the work just that much easier because it’s that much less funding that we have to find,” Davis said. “Any time we have the opportunity to make investments like this in public safety it’s a win.”
Among the list of other local law enforcement agencies receiving grant money are:
- Brown County Sheriff’s Office: $262,605.88
- Appleton Police Department: $225,617.56
- Oshkosh Police Department: $203,844.60
- Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office: $144,744.05
- Fond du Lac Police Department: $135,692,40
- Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office: $113,209.42
- Click here to see a full list of grant recipients
- Click here to see a full list of additional Assistant District Attorney positions
Additionally, $1 million will be provided to the Wisconsin Technical College System in an effort to support part-time police academy programs in Wisconsin.
