Harris campaign: Local officials and law enforcement leaders highlight Trump’s threats to public safety and democracy ahead of Vance visit to Milwaukee

Today, former U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, and former Racine Chief of Police Art Howell held a press conference in Milwaukee to sound the alarm on the danger posed by Donald Trump, his support for January 6 insurrectionists, and his record overseeing a spike in violence crime as president.

There was a significant rise in violent crime while Trump was in office, as well as the largest spike in the murder rate in more than a century. He oversaw a 33% rise in homicides and a 20% increase in violent crime in Wisconsin, and also proposed major cuts for local law enforcement funding.

In stark contrast, Vice President Harris has helped deliver resources for police officers and community violence intervention organizations, achieving historic reductions in crime. Under her leadership the U.S. has had one of the lowest rates of violent crime in 50 years. In Milwaukee specifically, the Biden-Harris administration delivered $40 million for new officers, increased 911 dispatcher capacity, and public safety improvements.

“I’m stepping outside of my normal role. As a successful chief, I operated in the space of bipartisanship… however the choice before us in this hour is pretty stark. It’s a night and day choice,” said former Racine Chief of Police Art Howell. “Vice President Harris’ record of service is juxtaposed by a leader, who with others, conspired to disrupt the time-honored peaceful transition of power on January 6th. Police officers were assaulted, vilified, and mentally broken.”

“JD Vance is doing [Trump’s] bidding, coming to cities like Milwaukee – with Donald Trump already on record for telling us what he thinks about this city – defending his convict boss, and lying to us about the facts,” said former U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, who defended the Capitol on January 6. “Trump called men and women who died serving and protecting this country ‘suckers’ and ‘losers.’ JD Vance defended him. Trump wanted a vice president who would overturn an election — JD Vance promises that he’ll do it for him. Trump has pledged to rule as a dictator on ‘day one.’… JD Vance can’t even stand up to a criminal on the same ticket. How can he or Trump stand up to criminals in our communities?”

“During Trump’s presidency, let’s not forget that crime spiked nationwide, and we now even see him calling for us to defund federal law enforcement,” said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. “But Vice President Harris has taken us on a much different path. She and President Biden have passed the most significant gun violence prevention law in nearly 30 years, they funded our police departments, and they created the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which has been led by our own Madam Vice President Kamala Harris.”

In response to a question about the increase of crime during the pandemic, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley explained that, “at the end of the day, when I think about my tenure, both under Trump and Biden-Harris administrations, we got the most support from the Biden-Harris administration. We saw American Rescue Plan dollars flowing in to make sure we could help and assist people most affected by the [gun violence epidemic].”