DOJ gives $92 million to Wisconsin schools safety improvements

MADISON (WKBT) — Wisconsin schools have received more than $92 million for safety enhancements through a Wisconsin Department of Justice grant program meant to make students safer.

“DOJ’s Office of School Safety has worked with educators across the state to make our schools safer,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “Every kid in Wisconsin should be able to learn in a safe environment.”

A total of $92,466,783.27 was distributed to public, private, charter and tribal schools for safety enhancements, threat assessment training and mental health training.

Through funding provided by the Wisconsin Act 143 signed in 2018, 1,306 Wisconsin schools have provided hours of trauma-informed care training and more than 600 have established multidisciplinary threat assessment teams.

The funding also provided upgrades to the physical security of Wisconsin schools. A variety of upgrades were made; most notable were new security systems, security cameras and in some cases rebuilding entire school entrances to make them secure.

The grant also established the DOJ’s confidential threat reporting tip line, Speak Up Speak Out (SUSO). SUSO is a free resource, available to any school in Wisconsin regardless of participation in the grant program. The SUSO Resource Center is a comprehensive, one-stop place to turn with important concerns, offering a threat reporting system, threat assessment consultation, critical incident response and general school safety guidance.

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