MILWAUKEE — Vice Presidential candidate & Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) visited the Milwaukee Police Association (MPA) headquarters for a private roundtable discussion and a brief campaign rally as the MPA formally endorsed Vance & former President Donald Trump in the 2024 election.
Vance began his comments by commending Milwaukee’s law enforcement for the 2024 Republican National Convention, saying “I don’t know if I’ve ever felt safer in such an incredible, stressful, high-intensity environment.”
He used this point to highlight the importance of supporting law enforcement in Wisconsin, claiming Trump would make their jobs easier if elected in November.
When asked by WTMJ’s Julia Fello how the Trump administration would help the Milwaukee Police Department address a startling number of vacancies and retirements, Vance claimed that people in positions of power have “attacked the police for so long that a lot of people just don’t want to do police work anymore.”
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He also blamed the issue on an influx of immigrants entering the country, claiming this is costing Milwaukee taxpayers money and drawing resources away from vital institutions like the Milwaukee Police Department.
“When you talk about scarce municipal resources — I know a lot of towns and municipalities are dealing with limited resources. We have to ask ourselves, ‘Why are the resources scarce in the first place?” Vance stated. “When you take millions of dollars that should go to our local police departments, and you put it in sheltering and providing medical care for illegal aliens, it is the least of these in our communities who suffer the most.”
As confirmed on Wisconsin’s Afternoon News on Thursday, the Milwaukee Police Association released the following formal statement, putting their support behind Trump and Vance in the November election.
This MPA endorsement represents a shift from an organization that does not involve itself in all elections, but has supported Democratic candidates including Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson in recent years.
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