Milwaukee adds 50 police officers; US Department of Justice funding

MILWAUKEE - With Milwaukee's homicide record broken for the third year in a row, city leaders are trying to get more boots on the ground. Mayor Cavalier Johnson signed a resolution formally authorizing the addition of 50 officers to the city's police department.

"When residents face danger, we call the police. When a problem cannot be peacefully resolved, we call the police, and in crisis and disaster, in the face of evil, we call the police," Johnson said.

 "I know that we are 200 short, and that is a fluid number we are dealing with," said Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman.

The funding for these positions comes from the U.S. Department of Justice 2022 COPS Hiring Program. The added officers were previously mentioned in the 2023 city budget. Mayor Johnson said next year's city budget increases funds for the Milwaukee Police Department by $20 million. Even so, the number of police officers will be down 1% in 2023. 

"I wish these were added resources, but these new police officers will be filling vacancies that were created by retirements and other departures of exiting officers," the mayor said. 

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"As we all know, this is going to help support our efforts in regards to keeping our city safe," said Chief Norman. "I've said it many times before. We need sworn officers to do sworn things. This particular lift, this particular support will help us continue to have that help, that necessary resource, especially, in light of, as we deal with the attrition, we deal with the resignations. We have our challenges."

Johnson and Norman said while homicides are up, FBI stats show other crimes are down 14% compared to this time in 2021.

"The struggle is still real," said Norman.

Chief Norman said these new police officers would not hit the ground running until the end of 2023.