We ask for $25 million divestment from the Milwaukee Police Department.

LiberateMKE started a campaign that involved having authentic conversations with residents to find out what a liberated Milwaukee would look like to them. We want to build meaningful relationships to bring about community change.

Over the last five years the police budget has grown by over $70 million and every other city department has seen little to no growth. We know that instead of police, we could invest in programs that address the root causes of poverty and violence, like jobs, public health and housing.

We surveyed a variety of residents including students and elders at meetings and community events throughout the city asking where they would like to see monies allocated. Areas residents lifted up included youth employment and transportation, economic opportunity through job training and financial literacy, and non-police violence prevention projects such as violence interrupter programs.