Federal Money Will Advance Community Policing For Four Wisconsin Groups

WISCONSIN — Four Wisconsin groups received a total of $411,420 from the U.S. Department of Justice to advance community policing.

The funds are part of $33 million the department sent to law enforcement agencies nationwide to further the practice of community policing. Community Policing Development program funds are meant to develop and test new strategies to prevent crime and promote safe communities, the department said.

Here are the four Wisconsin groups whose law enforcement agencies will receive the funds.

• Dodge County: $75,000 for seeking third-party assessment in policing.
• City of Madison: $251,420 for de-escalation and community youth violence intervention.
• Marquette University: $75,000 for seeking third-party assessment in policing.
• City of Stevens Point: $10,000 for a community trust program.

The funds will support programs such as de-escalation training, anti-bias efforts and accreditation programs that bring third-party assessments to police decisions, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a statement.

"Keeping communities safe requires building relationships and increasing trust between law enforcement and those they serve," Garland said.