U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin applauded the U.S. Department of Justice’s announcement that Wisconsin will receive more than $16.3 million in grants to support the Milwaukee Police Department and Madison Police Department. The grants awarded to the Milwaukee Police Department will invest more than $15 million to hire 50 new officers to increase community policing capacity and deliver resources to train officers in crisis intervention for individuals who have behavioral health conditions and intellectual, developmental, or physical disabilities. The resources for the Madison Police Department will invest in officers’ mental health and support the city’s community policing efforts. Senator Baldwin sent letters of support for all of the projects awarded.
“I supported these investments because they will help keep our neighborhoods safe and give our police officers the resources they need to do their jobs safely, build trust in the community, and serve the people of Wisconsin,” said Sen. Baldwin. “This investment from the Biden administration will boost proven public safety methods like community policing, ensure our officers have the training they need to respond to our neighbors in crisis, and hire the officers needed to reduce crime, build sustainable neighborhoods, and foster positive community relations.”
“There is no higher priority than improving public safety, and the Biden administration’s investment in Milwaukee police officers is greatly appreciated,” Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said. “Senator Baldwin’s support, and the support of others, is particularly valuable as we work to reduce crime and make the entire region safer.”
The grants for the Milwaukee Police Department include:
- $15,740,904 for FY 2022 COPS Hiring Program to hire 50 new police officers to increase community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.
- $250,000 for FY 2022 Collaborative Crisis Response and Intervention Training Program to provide advanced crisis intervention training for individuals who have behavioral health conditions, intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, or physical disabilities.
The grants for the Madison Police Department include:
- $175,000 for FY 2022 COPS Office Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act Grant to improve the delivery of and access to mental health and wellness services for employees through expanding peer support, training, family resources, suicide prevention, and other promising practices for wellness programs.
- $175,000 for FY 2022 COPS Community Policing Development Microgrant to create Community Policing Advisory Boards in each of six police districts.
These resources are provided by the Senator Baldwin-supported FY22 Appropriations Legislation that increased investments in public safety, including an increase of 33% for the COPS program.
Senator Baldwin’s letters of support can be found here.
