This begs the question, where is the Milwaukee Police Association endorsement?
The West Allis Professional Police Association has announced its endorsement of the former Ald. Bob Donovan for mayor of Milwaukee, touting his “incredible courage” in supporting law enforcement in a time of “shameful” crime rates and a “soft on crime” district attorney.
They criticized Donovan’s opponent, Cavalier Johnson, the acting mayor, for failing to recognize how crime in Milwaukee affects surrounding areas, citing the Waukesha Parade attack as an example.
“We appreciate and acknowledge your unwavering and unwavering support for law enforcement and your strong commitment to the rule of law forever,” the West Allis Police Association wrote. “It is something that takes incredible courage to proclaim publicly, at the risk of becoming political cannon fodder by those who vilify the men and women who serve in the law enforcement profession.”
Donovan is running against acting mayor Cavalier Johnson in Milwaukee’s special mayoral election on April 5.
Alderman Ashanti Hamilton, the former president of the Milwaukee Common Council, endorsed Donovan last week, urging people to “fight for him like he fought for us.”
In a March 14 letter to Donovan, the Association highlights the explosion of crime in the city of Milwaukee and Milwaukee’s impact on surrounding communities.
The letter reads,
Mr Donovan,
The West Allis Professional Police Association is proud to support your candidacy for the upcoming Special Election for Mayor of the City of Milwaukee. We are aware that your opponent has questioned your commitment to the citizens of the city of Milwaukee and accused you of pandering to the interests of suburban municipalities. As a first-tier suburb and second-most populous municipality in Milwaukee County, West Allis absolutely has a vested interest in the economic success and public safety of Milwaukee.
The city of Milwaukee is the economic and cultural engine of Wisconsin, and its successes, as well as its failures, impact the other 500,000 citizens who reside in the surrounding suburbs of Milwaukee County. To downplay these causal effects, as your opponent did, is indicative of his lack of awareness, understanding, and understanding of the importance of public health and safety to the greater Milwaukee area as a whole. Like the free flow of commerce, the criminal element also has the unlimited ability to cross jurisdictional boundaries. What your opponent does not realize or admit is that the city of Milwaukee and virtually every suburb in Milwaukee County, such as the city of West Allis, are inextricably linked both economically and socially.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, as of today, there have been 39 homicides in the city of Milwaukee, 19 more than last year to this date. Once again, Milwaukee is shamefully close to breaking its homicide record of 197, which was set last year. According to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office, the entire county is currently on track to record 300 homicides in 2022.
Additionally, the problem of stolen vehicles continues to plague all municipalities in Milwaukee County. In 2021, Milwaukee County recorded more than 10,000 stolen vehicles, more than the city of Chicago, which has a population of approximately 2,746,000. Comparatively, Milwaukee County has only 945,700 citizens.
Milwaukee County’s dedicated law enforcement officers put their personal safety and lives on the line every day to ensure those who choose to commit crimes are brought to justice. Unfortunately, too often this has turned into a catch and release system due to an elected district attorney who espouses a soft criminal charging philosophy. Most notably, this dangerous practice has had a direct and deadly impact on those killed and injured in the 2021 Waukesha Christmas Parade.
