Kenosha County sheriff preparing for future unrest, city moves forward
Kenosha County sheriff preparing for future unrest, city moves forward
The Kenosha County Sheriff is preparing for the possibility of more unrest once the Jacob Blake shooting investigation wraps up. As the law enforcement buildings in Kenosha begin to open back up, the top law enforcement officials are also opening up about how the city is moving forward from the past three weeks.
KENOSHA, Wis. - The Kenosha County Sheriff is preparing for the possibility of more unrest once the Jacob Blake shooting investigation wraps up.
As the law enforcement buildings in Kenosha begin to open back up, the top law enforcement officials are also opening up about how the city is moving forward from the past three weeks.
"We're slowly getting back to business as usual, life as usual in Kenosha," Sheriff David Beth said.
Part of moving forward means first looking back. Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth anticipates more unrest once investigators wrap up their probe into the shooting of Jacob Blake by Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey.
"We're trying to keep an ear to the ground for anything," Sheriff Beth said.
He says this time around, he'll be better prepared.
"When we put the fence around this complex, that was a game-changer for us," he said. "We were able to free up really a few hundreds of boots on the ground."
Law enforcement in Kenosha following the police shooting of Jacob Blake
The shooting sparked violent riots that destroyed businesses and resulted in two fatal shootings. Deputy Police Chief Eric Larsen says many of the instigators believed to be from out of state--still have not been arrested.
"There's surveillance video, hundreds of sources of videos that has to be gone through," Deputy Chief Larsen said.
The violence, at times, overshadowing the initial reason behind the demonstrations — a call to end police brutality against black individuals.
Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth
Sheriff Beth and Deputy Chief Larsen say they haven't had time yet to address racial biases within their departments but both say they are committed to making it a priority.
"This again is reinforcing the need to talk about it and to take action," Sheriff Beth said.
Among the demands from Black Lives Matter activists improving police transparency and accountability.
Larsen says the department is working to purchase body cameras for all officers as soon as possible. Though he isn't sure it would have made a difference in the Blake shooting investigation.
"But we are certainly looking to the future and we believe that it would help," Deputy Chief Larsen said.
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