Joint Finance Committee plans to give DOJ more positions to handle officer-involved death investigations
MADISON (AP) — The Legislature's budget-writing committee plans to give the state Justice Department more positions to handle officer-involved death investigations.
A new law that went into effect last year requires outside agencies to probe officer-involved deaths. DOJ officials say theirs has become the go-to agency for local police who now need outside investigators. A Legislative Fiscal Bureau report shows DOJ has investigated 12 deaths since the law took effect in April 2014. That's up 71 percent from seven death investigations in 2013.
The agency has asked the Joint Finance Committee for five additional positions to handle such probes.
The committee is set to consider the request Thursday. The panel's co-chairs said they plan to give the agency four positions funded through criminal surcharges.
Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel issued this statement:
"Our entire team at DOJ is grateful that the committee approved creation of four positions to handle the increased workload related to officer-involved death investigations. It is critical that these investigations be conducted expeditiously, thoroughly and transparently so that the community can have confidence in the outcome of the investigations."
Sen. Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee) issued this statement:
“As officer-involved deaths continue to gain national attention, I’m glad the budget committee will take this matter up. When the unthinkable happens, the families and communities impacted by an officer-involved death deserve at the bare minimum an independent investigation. Fulfilling not one but two Attorneys General requests to fund these positions is simply the right thing to do.
However, we cannot stop at today’s vote. We must continue to educate, discuss and take action to rid our society of injustice. That is why this week, more than 100 members of alumni chapters of all nine historically African-American fraternities and sororities held a day at the Capitol where they discussed social justice issues. Meanwhile, I encourage my colleagues put our money where our mouths are by funding these positions. Additionally, lawmakers must dig deeper and invest in our people by funding programs that target literacy, agriculture, justice reform, the environment and health care.”