Wisconsin Western District BJA FY 23 Project Safe Neighborhoods

On behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin (USAO), the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ), the State Administering Agency (SAA) and fiscal agent, requests $121,199 in federal funding for a 36-month project to build on existing efforts addressing violent crime in the Western District of Wisconsin.

The district’s largest city is Madison, which has a population of 269,840 (U.S. Census estimate 2021) and is in Dane County which has an estimated population of 563,951.  It is Wisconsin’s second largest city and one of its fastest growing. The PSN Target Enforcement Area (TEA) for the USAO of the Western District is the greater Madison area.  The office has a very strong working relationship with the Madison Police Department (MPD), surrounding local law enforcement agencies, state and federal agencies, and Dane County District Attorney’s Office to address violent crime.

The USAO for the Western District of Wisconsin also works closely with law enforcement throughout the district to address their needs.  This includes collaborating with agencies on their Community Violence Initiative which includes coordination between street level law enforcement, mental health services, social services, and health advocates.  One of the cities that the USAO of the Western District closely collaborates with is the city of La Crosse. In recent years they have been experiencing violent crime significantly disproportionate to a city their size.  Janesville and Beloit which are between the Madison and Illinois border, have historically been hot spots for violent crime.  Because of that, the police departments in those three cities have applied and received funding under the 2019, 2020, and 2021 PSN grants.  While they are not in the TEA, those departments have valued the USAO’s relationship, outreach, and case outcomes.

The USAO has chosen several key partners to work with on their ongoing efforts around violent crime, including city and county agencies that have formed the Community Safety Intervention Team. The group includes representatives of the mayor’s office, Madison Police Department, multiple city and Dane County agencies, the Madison Metropolitan School District, Focused Interruption Coalition, University of Wisconsin Health, and area nonprofits.