FOND DU LAC, WI – Earlier today, while delivering the 2026 State of the Tribes Address, Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians Chairwoman Nicole Boyd highlighted the critical lack of staffing and funding provided to northern Wisconsin by Josh Kaul’s Department of Justice.
“In 2013 there were four resident narcotics investigation agents out of the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Eau Claire field [office] that focuses from Spooner north. In 2022, there were three. By the end of 2024, there was one. In 2025, there were zero – yes, zero – narcotics investigative agents in the northern half of the state,” said Boyd. “As a result, we know this has caused incredible delays in investigations, resulting in many unnecessary deaths […] We must address this immediately, or we will continue to hear the horror stories of families who are losing loved ones due to our negligence and lack of resources.”
Attorney General candidate Eric Toney responded to the Chairwoman’s address:
“In 2022 I warned of Josh Kaul’s dangerous mismanagement of DCI positions. Sadly, that pattern has continued and is now having a devastating effect on northern Wisconsin. His failure to allocate resources to combat our state’s drug crisis is another broken promise that has unnecessarily cost lives. Josh Kaul needs to immediately recommit the necessary resources to protect northern Wisconsin.”
Chairwoman Boyd’s full remarks can be found here. Toney’s 2022 remarks in Eau Claire can be found here.
