MILWAUKEE — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced $8.4 million previously allocated to the city of Milwaukee's Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) was officially released following approval by the Milwaukee Common Council on Wednesday.
The funding is part of Evers' $45 million investment to address crime and to provide support to victims.
“We're continuing our work to build a state that works for everyone, including safer communities, schools, and streets, and the Office of Violence Prevention continues to be a leader in taking a public health approach to this issue, utilizing commonsense, evidence-based solutions, and working directly with our neighborhoods,” said Gov. Evers. “I’m glad to be able to use these funds to invest in the folks who are doing this critically important work on the ground to interrupt the cycle of violence and reduce crime, address trauma, support victims and survivors, and ensure safer communities for our kids, families, and all Milwaukeeans.”
Last month, the city's common council passed a resolution authorizing a memorandum of understanding to receive their allocation of these funds that was executed last week, according to a news release.
"OVP will use the funds to take a public health approach to violence prevention, addressing the significant increases in crime and decreases in markers of community well-being," a news release states. "These targeted violence prevention efforts include crisis response coordination, suicide prevention intervention, youth violence prevention intervention, launch of the Violence Prevention Partnership, neighborhood-based implementation of the Blueprint for Peace, OVP internal capacity support, and expansion of 414LIFE’s team of violence interrupters."
Milwaukee Acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson thanked Evers' for the funding on Wednesday.
“The Governor knows there are no simple solutions to violence in Milwaukee or elsewhere in Wisconsin. So, investment in prevention and intervention must be part of the overall effort in addition to quality law enforcement," Johnson said in part. "The money from the state, combined with the new resources the city has put towards similar work, will greatly amplify the efforts of the Office of Violence Prevention. Too often, we have seen simple disputes and simmering feuds turn into homicides. Those are the types of situations where education and intervention can alter outcomes for the better."
