[Madison, WI…] Anthony Hamilton, a Detective with the Dane County Sheriff’s Department and candidate for sheriff, today held a press conference outlining his priorities for the office while pointing to the misguided woke policies of political appointee Sheriff Kalvin Barrett. Detective Hamilton’s press conference at Olin-Turville Park in Madison featured one stolen and one wrecked vehicle symbolizing the spike in stolen vehicles and violent crime in the County. Stolen cars have doubled in Madison since 2017 and in 2021 the city experienced 837 car thefts, which was up from 449 in 2017. “I’m running for office because we need an experienced leader who is intolerant of violent crime and police misconduct, is free from political influence, and who puts public safety first,” said Detective Hamilton. “Calling jail inmates residents, wasting precious resources on ineffec- tive gun buyback programs, and overseeing a staffing crisis due to identity politics demon- strates Barrett is more interested in virtue signaling than public safety. Dane County families deserve better.” Hamilton added the $50,000 spent on the recent gun buy back program would have been bet- ter used paying a dozen deputies to conduct a Stolen Vehicle Round Up or an Arrest Warrant Round Up of violent offenders. “I guarantee using that $50,000 to take wanted violent offenders and their guns off of the streets would do more to reduce violent crime in Dane County,” said Detective Hamilton. Yesterday, the Wisconsin State Journal reported Barrett’s “staffing woes have led to significant policy changes” and pointed to Barrett’s mandate of using identify politics for new hiring pro- cedures. The Sheriff’s Department is currently 58 officers short, requiring current officers to be on indefinite overtime and putting the public at risk due to the shortage of staff. “One of the first things Barrett did when he became sheriff was to change the designation of the people in the jail. They’re not inmates, they’re residents. He made this coddling change out of some misguided idea that the inmates feelings need to be protected after they commit violent criminal acts,” said Detective Hamilton. “When I’m sheriff, they’ll be called inmates again.” Hamilton noted there are different legitimate approaches to law enforcement, and throughout his career he’s seen decisions that he disagrees with but are still valid. However, he added the Paid for by Anthony Hamilton for Sherif P.O. Box 10, Waunakee, WI 53597 (608) 571-5171 hamilton4danesheriff.com lack of action and leadership by Barrett as well as the order for law enforcement to stand down during the Madison riots was injecting political bias into policing. “Law enforcement was told to stand down as rioters destroyed and looted businesses, tore down statues, lit dumpsters and squad cars on fire, firebombed the City County Building, and beat a State Legislator,” said detective Hamilton. “As the next Dane County Sheriff, I won’t back down.” Detective Hamilton added Dane County needs an experienced, proven leader that won’t bow down to political pressure, that won’t tolerate dirty cops, and who won’t stand down when riot- ers are terrorizing our community. “Barrett’s political bias has no place in law enforcement. Identity politics, coddling criminals and inmates, and supporting defunding the police, or banning Tear Gas in Madison puts the public at risk. Those extremist ideologies do not belong in law enforcement any more than racism, corruption, or violating people’s rights,” said Detective Hamilton. “When I’m elected Dane County Sheriff, the criminals won’t feel safe anymore but the public will.” Detective Hamilton is a 14-year veteran of the Dane County Sheriff’s Department having serv- ing the last three years as detective after serving seven years as a member of the SWAT Team. He’s additionally served as Assistant Team Leader, Jail Trainer, a Patrol Trainer, and as a State certified Law Enforcement Trainer. Barrett was a political appointment by Dane County Sheriff by Gov. Tony Evers after roughly 5 years of patrol in Sun Prairie.

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