GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The City of Green Bay has been awarded a $1 million grant from the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) – Wisconsin Community Safety Fund (WCSF) in partnership with the state of Wisconsin.

The grant will be used toward creating an Office of Violence Prevention (OVP), which is expected to be a part of the Department of Community & Economic Development.

Under the leadership of a program director, the office will focus on neighborhoods to address disruptions caused by crime through deterrence, tracking underlying contributing factors, researching incidents with a high likelihood of retaliation, developing reduction strategies, identifying at-risk individuals, conducting street outreach, and increasing resiliency in residents.

“We are grateful to Governor Evers for understanding the need for this kind of support in
communities across the state of Wisconsin,” said Mayor Eric Genrich. “With these resources,
we will be able to address the root causes of community violence, ease the burden borne by
our police officers, and enhance the safety of all Green Bay’s neighborhoods.”

According to Green Bay Police Department’s Communications Coordinator, Jennifer Gonzalez, Green Bay is the first grant recipient to be publicly announced.

MCW is expected to make additional announcements in the coming weeks.