Getting Tough on Crime

For Immediate Release                                                                                         

January 26, 2022

Contact: Rep. Rick Gundrum                                                                                   

(608) 264-8486

Madison, WI – Representative Rick Gundrum (R-Slinger) voted for a series of bills yesterday to address rising crime and the shortage of police officers in Wisconsin. He released the following statement this morning:

 “Wisconsin is currently facing many difficult challenges. One of those is skyrocketing crime in many of our communities. The United States saw a 5.2% increase in violent crimes in 2020. Wisconsin’s situation was worse, with an increase of nearly 9%. Despite the increase in violent crime, radical activists and politicians have been calling for defunding the police. Defunding the police has now proven to be a colossal public safety disaster. I am joining my Republican colleagues in funding the police and taking on higher crime.

“We passed Assembly Bill 279 to prevent more rioting in Wisconsin. The penalty for intentionally participating in a riot that causes substantial damage or personal injury will be a Class I felony. We also passed Assembly Bill 776, which will make it a Class I felony to damage or graffiti any structure or statue of historical significance that is on public property or maintained by the state, a county, or a municipality. Protesting is a First Amendment right, but destructive rioting is not.

“At a time when law enforcement retirements and resignations are up, we are passing bills that will recruit and retain more officers so that our communities are safe. To have only 13,500 law enforcement officers in Wisconsin is unacceptable. It is the fewest number of officers in a decade. One of the bills that I voted for was Assembly Bill 832 to increase the law enforcement training reimbursement amount from $160 per officer to $320 per officer. We also approved Assembly Bill 837 so that a new recruit receives a $5,000 signing bonus. The bill also provides an additional $1,000 per year of prior experience for out-of-state officers, but caps the total amount of the bonus at $10,000. These bills will use funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

“The people of Wisconsin want safe communities where they can live in peace. I hope Governor Evers signs these bills into law.”

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