Milwaukee County Sheriff Denita Ball takes office, outlines plan

MILWAUKEE - Denita Ball took office as Milwaukee County's new sheriff Monday, Oct. 24 – a few months earlier than expected after Earnell Lucas resigned.

Ball said the first thing she did when she walked into her new office was answer a few emails, but after that she said she had an 8:30 a.m. meeting with her executive leadership team about changes moving forward.

"We can’t sit back on the sidelines and then wait for somebody else to do it," Ball said.

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Ball said she's starting her plan to address crime in Milwaukee County on Day 1. 

"We have to take a multi-faceted approach if we are going to make a difference as far as having a positive impact on crime in this community," Ball said.

Denita Ball

The county is on pace to break its homicide record for the third year in a row. The sheriff's office leads the investigation when crime happens in county parks, on the freeways or at the airport. However, Ball said she wants to work with municipalities across the country to address crime as a whole.

"As far as what we need to do, make sure we collaborate with municipalities and be a force multiplier," said Ball. "Oftentimes, the other jurisdictions may not have resources that they need, and so if we all come together to work, to address crime, then that’s going to make a big difference."

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Ball said she also wants to build stronger relationships with community groups and faith leaders; she noted Sojourner Family Peace Center as an example, and said it needs to be more than just conversations.

"We have to be careful that we are not just meeting and not getting anything done. Just coming together, we want to make sure that we are coming together at the end, we are doing something," Ball said.

Milwaukee County Jail, staffing shortages

Ball also said she wants to address crime from many angles.

"We’re taking a holistic approach to address crime," said Ball.

Of course, any work done by the sheriff's office requires people. The office is currently down around 100 corrections officers and 30 deputies. For now, the sheriff's office is staffing the jail through overtime – and also by pulling deputies from other assignments. It means fewer deputies are out on patrol.

Milwaukee County Jail

"Once we get a handle on the staffing issue, that’s going to solve a lot of the problems that we may have had or are having in the jail," Ball said.

Currently, correctional officers in Milwaukee County make just over $24 per hour. Ball said roughly 20 officers left Milwaukee County to take jobs in Racine County when wages there increased to $29 per hour.

"It’s about competing. It’s about offering them a wage they think is suitable for the level of the responsibility that they have, as well as be able to sustain a family on," said Ball.

Ball is asking the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors for correctional officers to get a $2 per hour raise in next year's budget. In the meantime, she wants to focus on the mental health of current employees.

"They are working a lot of overtime, so we want to make sure that they are healthy and that they have the assistance that they need," Ball said.

Ball also said there is a class of around 15 new correctional officers who are set to graduate soon. She said staffing issues are improving, but there is still work to do.