[Balsam Lake, Wis.] – Today, Adam Jarchow introduced four policy proposals that will revamp the Department of Justice, help restore law and order in our communities, and Make Wisconsin Safe Again. The announcement builds on Jarchow’s plans to Back the Badge and stand proudly with law enforcement in reversing the rise in violent crime across our state.
Crime statistics are moving in the wrong direction in communities across Wisconsin, and Josh Kaul has only made things worse and failed to recognize that there is a problem. Jarchow will reverse that by standing up for the brave men and women in uniform and providing them the resources needed to keep our communities safe.
Click here to view the Plan to Fight Crime and Restore Law and Order, which has four main components outlined:
- Fully Fund Law Enforcement and Address Hiring Challenges
- Create the Wisconsin Department of Justice Violent Crimes Taskforce
- Give the Department of Justice Original Jurisdiction Over Gun-Related Violent Crimes
- Transform the Office of School Safety to a stand-alone Division of School Safety
Some concerning statistics on Wisconsin crime rates:
- As reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 53 homicides were reported in Milwaukee in the first three months of 2022, double the number from the same period in 2021.
- According to Wisconsin Department of Justice data, there were 315 homicides statewide in 2021, a 70% increase from 185 in 2019.
- This year, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner said Milwaukee County was on pace to record more than 300 homicides by the end of 2022.
- In 2021, more than 10,000 vehicles were stolen in Milwaukee.
- As of March 2, 2022 there had already been 1,650 vehicles stolen in Milwaukee this year
- According to the Madison Police Department, reports of stolen vehicles increased from 448 in 2017 to 749 in 2020.
“Instead of proposing common-sense solutions to the issues that plague our communities, Josh Kaul is busy blaming COVID and drafting bills that he knows the Legislature will never pass, just to appease his liberal base during an election year,” said Jarchow. “Families across Wisconsin want to fund our police, get crime under control, end the low-bail travesties, and keep our kids and communities safe. As Attorney General, our brave men and women in uniform will have a strong ally – and together, we’ll fight the rise in violent crime and Make Wisconsin Safe Again. ”
The Plan includes the following components:
Fully Fund Law Enforcement and Address Hiring Challenges
Under the failed leadership of Josh Kaul, law enforcement agencies across Wisconsin have been starved of resources and ignored. As Attorney General, Adam will implement a ground up approach, instituting processes that will empower law enforcement agencies to identify exactly what they need to keep our communities safe – he will fund our police.
In addition to a lack of resources, Governor Evers and Josh Kaul have painted a target on the backs of our brave law enforcement officers, to the point where there is a serious hiring and retention crisis in public safety. As Attorney General, Adam will work with his former colleagues in the Legislature to create new 2- and 4-year training programs, provide tuition reimbursement and student loan forgiveness for law enforcement careers, and administer a grant program to help law enforcement agencies across the state recruit and retain the necessary talent to keep our families safe and criminals behind bars.
Create the Wisconsin Department of Justice Violent Crimes Taskforce
Under the failed leadership of Josh Kaul, Wisconsin communities have been left to fend for themselves against a drastic increase in violent crime. As Attorney General, Adam will create a Violent Crimes Taskforce at the Department of Justice. This taskforce will consist of agents from the Department of Criminal Investigation and prosecutors from the Division of Criminal Litigation, on hand to provide immediate on-the-ground assistance to communities dealing with violent crime.
The taskforce will also establish a system to monitor and report on violent crime that is occurring around the State of Wisconsin so that community members and local, state, and federal officials have the latest information on violent crime occurring in their area – including bail and custody status of violent offenders. Under a Jarchow Department of Justice, Wisconsin communities will have every resource needed to keep our families safe and criminals behind bars.
Give the Department of Justice Original Jurisdiction for Certain Gun-Related Violent Crimes
Under the failed leadership of Josh Kaul, violent crime has sky-rocketed in some of Wisconsin’s cities – and many simply don’t have the resources or the ability to prosecute violent offenders to the fullest extent under the law. As Attorney General, Adam will work with his former colleagues in the Legislature to give the Wisconsin Department of Justice original jurisdiction for certain gun-related violent crimes in Wisconsin counties that have first or second class cities.
Improper bail requests, failure to prosecute, or too lenient sentence recommendations must stop. Adam will work with local law enforcement, key stakeholders, and policymakers to identify areas where original jurisdiction is needed to get crime under control and help create safe communities once again. If Wisconsin communities can’t or won’t keep violent criminals behind bars, the Department of Justice will.
The ‘catch and release’ mentality of soft-on-crime district attorneys will not stand under a Jarchow Department of Justice.
Transform the Office of School Safety to a Stand-Alone Division of School Safety
Under the failed Leadership of Josh Kaul, the Office of School Safety, that Adam voted to create while he was in the Legislature, hasn’t lived up to its full potential. As Attorney General, Adam will transform the Office of School Safety into a stand-alone division that will allow for more dedicated resources to be put towards this important issue with both funds and staffing, and it will enable increased coordination across state government, including DHS, DCF, and university researchers.
The Division of School Safety will focus on physical infrastructure safety, student mental health, and educator support and training. DOJ’s Division of School Safety can help students feel safe at school and at home by helping schools address the mental health struggles that students face. Adam will also work together with local law enforcement and schools to provide training to school resource officers to prevent unsafe environments in schools.
You can view the policy proposals in their entirety here.
