Wisconsin awarded nearly $13M in grants to hire more police officers

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The Department of Justice has awarded nearly $13 million in grants to hire more law enforcement in Wisconsin.

The grants, announced on Wednesday, come as protesters around the country are speaking out against police brutality and discrimination following the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis police.

About $9.7 million is going to the Milwaukee Police Department to hire 30 officers. The Madison Police Department received $1.25 million to hire 10 officers. The following cities and counties also received grants:

• Crawford County: $125,000; hiring one person
• Cudahy Police Department: $301,411; hiring one person
• Fond du Lac Sheriff’s Office: $375,000; hiring three people
• Horicon Police Department: $125,000; hiring one person
• Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians: $484,356; hiring two people
• St. Croix Falls Police Department: $125,000; hiring one person
• City of Wauwatosa: $226,061; hiring one person
• Wood County Sheriff’s Office: $279,861; hiring one person

Wisconsin’s grants are part of the nearly $400 million given to U.S. agencies through the DOJ’s Community Oriented Policing Services Hiring Program. The program is intended to reduce crime and promote public safety through community policing. Awards may provide up to 75% funding for approved entry-level salaries and benefits over three years, up to a maximum of $125,000 per officer position.

The grants are inclusive of the $51 million announced last month as part of the DOJ’s Operation Relentless Pursuit, which aims to crack down on violent crime in Milwaukee and six other U.S. cities.

Of the 596 total grants announced on Wednesday, 43 percent focus on using officers to help combat violent crime. Other focus areas include school-based policing, building trust and respect, and opioid-related initiatives.

The grants will fund 2,732 officer positions across the nation. Follow @“WLJreporter”