Officers to field questions about racism

ffice and local police departments will be available to take questions about racism and biases from county residents during an online town hall-style meeting next week.

“We have heard some of our citizens voice concern over events that occurred within Ozaukee County communities,” Sheriff Jim Johnson said in a press release. “Many of our communities experienced peaceful assemblies and marches in support of black and brown lives. Some of the event speeches called for greater transparency from law enforcement. Throughout these conversations law enforcement’s voice was not heard.”

The event aims to remedy that by making law enforcement personnel available, Johnson said.

“Some groups thought we were absent” last year when there were several demonstrations against racism in the county, he said in an interview. “This gives people an opportunity to find out what law enforcement has been doing.”

The question-and-answer session follows a series of discussions on racism held in recent weeks at county libraries.

It also follows intense training sessions held at Concordia University of Wisconsin in Mequon last year that were attended by law enforcement officers. 

“We’ve always had some cultural diversity and bias training, but every law enforcement agency sent officers and dispatch personnel to the bias training at Concordia,” Johnson said. 

“Some people don’t realize that we have continuing conversations on this topic,” he added.

Johnson said the town hall will be reviewed afterward and that more sessions may be held.

Besides the Sheriff’s Office, members of the Cedarburg, Grafton, Mequon, Port Washington, Saukville and Thiensville police departments will be on hand.

The event, dubbed “Ozaukee Law Enforcement Address Citizen Questions on Racism and Biases,” will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 3.

Also participating will be Ozaukee County Administrator Jason Dzwinel and members of the county Human Services and Public Health departments, Advocates of Ozaukee, Bridge the Divide, Lakeshore Regional Child Advocacy Center, Northern Ozaukee United Way and Sirona Recovery.

The event will be hosted and moderated by staff members of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension Ozaukee County.

Questions can be submitted during registration and during the event.

Registration for the event is required and can be done at tinyurl.com/OzaukeeLawEnforcement.