The head of a group representing law enforcement officers statewide says there should be consideration of reform proposal offered by Wisconsin’s Democratic governor, as well as those from the Republican leader of the state Assembly.
Governor Tony Evers has called the legislature into special session, to consider a package of police reform bills.
The Wisconsin state Senate will gavel in Monday, and may eventually consider the governor’s proposals, as well as Republican authored legislation.
Evers issued his call for a special session a week ago, just hours after Assembly Speaker Robin Vos announced a new task force intended to address issues like racial disparities and public safety.
Jim Palmer, executive director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, argues the approaches to police reform both have merit.
“Governor Evers certainly has expressed a kind of an urgency, and has identified some specific legislative measures that he would like lawmakers to consider. Whereas Speaker Vos wants to take a longer, broader view. And I think both have value. It really shouldn’t be an either/or proposition.”
Palmer noted that the WPPA and its board has a record of supporting politicians of both political parties, and that there’s agreement on need to address systemic problems.
“I do think that there are things we can do in the short term, and I agree that there are also things that we can do to take a broader view, and seriously explore a more systemic set of solutions to what everyone seems to agree is a systemic problem, and not one that just involves policing.”