Milwaukee moves forward with violence prevention plan

Listen to this article

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee leaders say the city will come up with a comprehensive, strategic plan to decrease violence that will go beyond law enforcement tactics.

More than 100 people representing all parts of Milwaukee — neighborhoods, government, nonprofits, youth organizations, faith leaders, businesses and public safety officials — will gather to create a plan this week, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

City leaders for years have talked about using a public health model to focus on ending violence and finding the root causes.

The California-based Prevention Institute will help the participants create a plan meant to serve as a compass to guide practice, policy and investment in the city.

“We know that there will be no perfect plan,” Mayor Tom Barrett said. “We know it’s a continuous effort, and we think it’s important to have a sense of urgency and have a high-quality approach with many, many partners.”

Reggie Moore, director of the city’s Office of Violence Prevention, said the goal is to complete a draft by early spring and release a plan in early summer. Moore said the process will be “community-driven.”

The Violence Prevention Initiative was a five-year, $8.2 million effort to lower youth violence, funded by Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment.

“We learned from our initial investment and now are investing in a broader plan,” said Cheryl A. Maurana, the endowment’s director and vice president for academic outreach at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Last year, the city recorded 146 homicides, which is the highest number since the early 1990s.