Milwaukee Police Officers Head to U.S. Capitol to Fight for Legislation to get More Cops on the Street

Fighting to ensure the safety of not just Milwaukee, but the entire country, leaders from the Milwaukee Police Association took to the nation’s capital to back legislation that would put 100,000 officers on the streets throughout the country over the next five years. 

The Public Safety Enhancement Act of 2021 was introduced last year by Congressman Troy Nehls (R-TX) and would reauthorize parts of the 1994 crime bill, allowing police departments across the country to hire more officers to combat rising crime rates. The bill is a response to what Nehls called alarming increases in violent crimes and drug overdose deaths throughout the United States.

At a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol on July 21, Andrew F. Wagner, president of the Milwaukee Police Association, voiced support for the bill and spoke of the need for more officers to save lives and prevent crime in Milwaukee. Wagner said Milwaukee has lost about 400 officers over the past few years and that reduction has led to a higher crime rate and a lower clearance rate in criminal investigations. 

“We come into this profession by choice, to make a real difference in society. We look to solve crimes and hold criminals accountable. We attempt to prevent acts of violence in our communities. Right now, we are losing that fight,” Wagner said. “We can fix this. But we need help and support. We need to restore our departments to staffing levels that are proven to help and eliminate these issues. We need to properly staff our police departments so our officers and detectives have the time to investigate and prevent future crimes from happening. The neighborhoods we serve deserve to live without fear of crime.”

Wagner said that victims need to be remembered and brought to the forefront when discussing the need for more police officers. 

“We need to realize that behind every crime there is a victim, a human being who should have the basic right to feel safe in their homes, the right to walk down the street without fear, and the right to park their car at night, and not have to worry if it’s going to be there in the morning,” Wagner said. “The basic right of safety should be the highest priority that our government should provide for our citizens.”

Alexander Ayala, the association’s vice president, echoed Wagner’s sentiment in a statement and spoke of the importance of having more police officers to deter and fight violent crime. 

“It was an honor to be at the steps of our Nation’s Capital on behave of the members of the MPA to support U.S. Representative Troy Nehls and U.S. Representative Scott L. Fitzgerald supporting their bill, the Public Safety Enhancement Act, to hire 100,000 more police officers around the country,” Ayala said. 

Fitzgerald, who represents Wisconsin, called the bill “common sense legislation” that would tackle rising crime by bolstering the ranks of police departments in Wisconsin and across the country. 

“We need to shine a lot on a very serious issue of police departments being stretched dangerously thin due to dramatically rising crime,” Fitzgerald said at the press conference. “Departments across the nation are struggling because of retirements, resignations, and a lack of interest by potential recruits. By supporting law enforcement, we support our communities. I’m proud to stand by the police officers and the sheriffs who perform such a critical role in our society.”

The bill has gained 80 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives since it was introduced last year, Nehls said.