(MADISON, Wis.) – Following the shooting of Jacob Blake by officers in Kenosha, the executive director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association (WPPA), Jim Palmer, issued this statement: While the WPPA represents more than 10,000 members from over 300 local association affiliates, the officers in the Kenosha Police Department are not among them. The WPPA’s legal and field staff are not involved in the investigation being conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, and as such, we are limited as to what we can say about the incident at this early stage of the investigation. On behalf of Wisconsin’s law

MADISON- State Representative Timothy Ramthun (R-Campbellsport) issued the following statement in response to yesterday’s incident at River Hill Park in Kewaskum: Just after 3:00PM on August 24th, law enforcement received reports of a suicidal individual with a gun at River Hill Park in Kewaskum. Police immediately responded to the scene and made contact with the individual. Kewaskum Police, West Bend Police, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and WI State Patrol all worked seamlessly together to get control of the situation and efficiently cordon off the area surrounding the park. The situation concluded shortly after 5:30PM, with the individual in question deciding

KENOSHA – After a second night of tumult and turmoil in Kenosha last night, Representative Tod Ohnstad (D-Kenosha) provided the following statement: “Let me be clear.  This needs to end.  The devastation we have witnessed the past two nights is completely unacceptable.  I believe we must condemn the arson and violence we have seen this week in the same manner we condemn the excessive use of force and widespread injustices the public has rightfully mobilized against.  One wrong does not justify another. There is reason to believe much of the criminal behavior witnessed has come from individuals from out of

At the height of public outcry, protests, the Black Lives Matter movement, and calls to defund the police, I am shocked and appalled that law enforcement deemed it appropriate to shoot an unarmed person, a Black man, a father, seven times, in front of his three children shortly after trying to be a good citizen and maintain the peace in his own neighborhood. We need to invest and reinvest in other social services, we need to move money spent on police activities to other government services while stripping police departments of their military-grade weapons. Our police force shouldn’t have to be the one that gets

On Sunday, August 23 a law enforcement officer in Kenosha Wisconsin shot Jacob Blake, a Black man. Video of the incident was circulated on social media and unrest followed in Kenosha, Madison, and elsewhere. This tragedy is another horribly sad example, adding to the long list of American tragedies, involving use of force by law enforcement. Law enforcement now asks the public not to jump to conclusions based on what they observed in the video, but instead wait until law enforcement releases their full investigation –a request they neglect to make when regular citizens are alleged to have committed crimes. There

Madison saw another night of looting and senseless destruction in the wake of the officer-involved shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha. Madison firefighters and police were called to numerous dumpster fires, which were quickly suppressed. Two liquor stores, a candy store and other businesses were broken into, full cans, rocks and other projectiles were thrown at responding officers — mounted and on foot. Later in the night, a crowd of a few hundred sprinted from location to location-smashing windows near the square. MPD moved quickly to respond, and effectively interrupted looting in progress. Our city honors the First Amendment and

Madison – Following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Governor Tony Evers called for a special session on justice reform and policing accountability. Today, Representative Dave Considine (D-Baraboo) released the following statement: “While we are all still waiting for more details on what occurred on Sunday, we do know that a police officer shot Jacob Blake seven times in the back. Too often, excessive use of force and a lack of de-escalation transpire when officers engage with Black Wisconsinites. I am encouraged that the Wisconsin Department of Justice is investigating this officer involved shooting. “Reports thankfully indicate that Jacob

JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN—Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01), who represents Kenosha County in the U.S. House of Representatives, released a statement following the second night of violence in Kenosha. “The violence and destruction we witnessed the past two nights in Kenosha needs to be stopped. Public safety must be assured. If the Mayor and Governor don’t believe they have sufficient resources to do so, they need to request federal assistance immediately. I am prepared to support their request.”

OSHKOSH – U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said the following Tuesday about the overnight violence that resulted in looting and fires in Kenosha and Madison: “Yesterday, I acknowledged the understandable concern and emotional reaction to the shooting of Jacob Blake. I also asked anyone choosing to demonstrate to remain peaceful, and give our justice system time to work. Unfortunately, Kenosha and Madison experienced another night of violence and destruction. I again ask for demonstrators to remain peaceful and also call on elected officials charged with the responsibility to maintain safety and security in Wisconsin to devote the manpower to do so. In particular,

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin today called on Louis DeJoy, Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Postal Service, to immediately reverse the operational changes and directives that have caused the delays in mail delivery. As Wisconsinites across the state experience delays in receiving their mail, U.S. Postal Service employees have reported that mail sorting machines have been removed or disconnected in Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay and Rothschild processing and distribution centers. DeJoy recently announced a temporary suspension of changes through the November election, but has refused to reverse the changes he has already made. Senator

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today released the following statement regarding last night’s protests: “The ability to exercise First Amendment rights is a critically important part of our democracy and the pursuit of justice. But there remains a line between peaceful assembly and what we saw last night that put individuals, families, and businesses in danger. “We cannot forget the reason why these protests began, and what we have seen play out over the last two nights and many nights this year is the pain, anguish, and exhaustion of being Black in our state and country. But as I said yesterday,

Once again, we as a Black people have to bear the trauma of witnessing yet another unarmed Black person be shot by a police officer. We stand with Jacob Blake and his family, which includes his own children who watched as their father was gunned down, and wish him a speedy and healthy recovery. There is no other way to describe this other than attempted murder, and we fully expect DEMOCRATIC Kenosha District Attorney Michael Gravely to charge and prosecute him as expeditously as possible. To not do so would be another slap to the face of the Black community

Madison, WI — Senator Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield) released the following statement in response to the recent rash of violent riots: “I haven’t been this frustrated in my nearly 50 years. In the middle of a virus that has become a political football at the expense of the governed, we are being forced to stand by and watch our cities fall into chaos. For the second time this summer, my Capitol office was vandalized by a violent mob of rioters. While the damage to my office pales in comparison to the destruction of property and livelihoods happening in both Madison and Kenosha,