Published on September 22, 2022.
By: Madison Goldbeck
Gov. Tony Evers announced a $20 million investment in Milwaukee County’s public safety on Thursday.
The fund will provide a grant to Milwaukee County to construct the Center for Forensic Science and Protective Medicine. The center will house the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office and the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management. It is also being funded with $99.5 million in state funds, which were approved in August for the new Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Milwaukee Crime Lab.
“I’ve been proud to invest more than $100 million in crime prevention, violence interruption and public health interventions, community safety efforts, and ensuring local law enforcement have the resources to keep their communities safe,” said Gov. Evers. “Violence is never the answer and crime has no place in our communities. Period. That’s why I have continued to invest in communities all across Wisconsin, and this $20 million for Milwaukee County will bolster local and regional efforts to improve public safety through the latest advances in research and technology.”
According to the Office of the Governor, the additional investment is part of Evers’ efforts to invest more than $100 million in violence prevention and community safety in Wisconsin.
The Center for Forensic Science and Protectie Medicine will join the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center Campus in 2025. The campus will also feature a new state crime lab for DOJ forensic services.
“The Center will boost public safety resources, expand the pipeline of forensic science talent, reduce long-term costs with a shared-facility model, and address regional health equity—a win for Milwaukee and a win for Wisconsin,” said Department of Administration (DOA) Secretary-designee Kathy Blumenfeld.