Milwaukee County Sheriff Candidates Debate How To Reduce Gun Violence There

Editor’s Note: This article is part of a Wisconsin Public Radio year-long series tracking all gun-related homicides in Wisconsin.

Voters next Tuesday in Milwaukee County will face a choice on whether to keep the incumbent sheriff, a well-known gun advocate, in office.

Incumbent Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke has made national headlines over the years through suggesting citizens arm themselves and praising the National Rifle Association.

Clarke said since former Republican Gov. Scott McCallum appointed him sheriff 12 years ago, he’s tried to combat gun violence with a strong message against what he calls social engineering.

“When you take repeat career criminals and they’re not adequately punished in the criminal justice system, that actually works against what police are trying to do,” said Clarke.

Offering a far different take on violent crime reduction is Clarke’s opponent in the Democratic primary for sheriff, Milwaukee Police Lieutenent Chris Moews. He said he’d work with police, prosectuors, judges, and community groups to try to discourage former lawbreakers from returning to criminal activity.

“They’re not given the tools they need to succeed, and they have no other alternative than to return to their criminal past,” said Moews.

Progressive and anti-gun groups are supporting Moews, while the NRA has been raising money to back Clarke.

There’s no Republican on the ballot for Milwaukee County sherriff, so next Tuesday’s Democratic primary will likely settle the contest.

The primary comes as three black men — Robert McGee, Franklin Lee, and Terrell Williams — and a Latino man named Damien Roche were shot to death in Milwaukee during the past week.

In Beloit, Hykyme Hayes and Jose Carruthers-Paramo were killed at a city park, and in Racine, police reported the July 29 fatal shooting of Semar McClain. A 15-year-old boy has been charged with intentional homicide in that case.