AMERICANS FOR FIREARMS RIGHTS issued the following announcement on June 10.
Gallagher, R-Allouez, who represents the 8th Congressional District including Green Bay and Appleton, said the protests were justified in the wake of the deaths of unarmed black Americans George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery.
But Gallagher showed no support for protesters' calls to defund the police, a rallying cry in the wake of Floyd's death on May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes as Floyd cried, "I can't breathe." Protesters began calling for government to shift funding from police departments into social programs aimed at housing and education in communities of color.
Gallagher said Minneapolis and other communities discussing that measure are welcome to try and find a better way to protect people and property, but defunding police agencies is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
"Anytime we can get upstream of the problem of crime, I'm for it, but that's not something that can be dictated with a one-size-fits-all solution from the federal government," he said. "If Minneapolis wants to prove me wrong and come up with a way to reimagine their police force, that's on them to do it. But here in northeast Wisconsin, I don't think we have the same problems."
Instead, he said bipartisan legislation aimed at "meaningful reform that doesn't stigmatize our law enforcement professionals" is the best route forward. Gallagher said communities need to have an open and transparent debate about what's not working and find ways to "de-escalate the situation" without putting a stigma on local police officers and sheriff's deputies.
"I really don't want our law enforcement professionals here in northeast Wisconsin, here in Green Bay, to be stigmatized because of something that happened in Minneapolis (Floyd's death) that I think was tragic and avoidable," Gallagher said. "I don't see that lack of professionalism here. I see the opposite."
Gallagher showed support for several provisions included in a police reform bill House Democrats introduced this week. The bill would, among other things, curtail protections for officers accused of misconduct, restrict officers' use of deadly force to a last resort and ban chokeholds.
"If we want to talk about increasing support to our law enforcement professionals, particularly when it comes to training for de-escalation and training for mental health, I think that’s a great idea," Gallagher said. "I look forward to working with my Democratic colleagues on that." Discouraging tactics like chokeholds is "obviously another area we can come together," he said.
State Rep. Amanda Stuck, D-Appleton, said the Wisconsin Legislature should take steps to address these issues.
Stuck, who is taking on Gallagher in the Nov. 3 election for the 8th Congressional District, called Floyd's death "a horrible gut-wrenching action. I am glad that these issues of systemic racial injustice are receiving the public attention that they so deserve."
Stuck also focused on law enforcement agencies' tactics. In a June 4 statement, she called on the Legislature to pass Assembly Bill 1012, which states that deadly force should be a last resort and "that officers should use skills and tactics, including de-escalation tactics" and that "law enforcement officers shall take reasonable action to stop or prevent any unreasonable use of force by their colleagues."
“Until the Legislature takes these first steps, I continue to believe that actions speak louder than words and will continue to join these peaceful marches and rallies in the Fox Valley, in support of the marginalized members of our community," Stuck said in her statement last week. "I am proud to stand with our community leaders to show that Black Lives Matter to the people of Appleton.”
Gallagher, a second-term congressman from Green Bay, sought the middle ground in comments Wednesday about historic protests in communities across his district that called for an end to institutional racism and police brutality against people of color.
"I think it’s time for us all to take a step back, and rather than just rushing to social media to criticize our political opponents, ask, 'What can we do? What can we do better?'" Gallagher said. "There’s always room for improvement. My hope is we can take that step back and figure out how we come together."
Instead of social media, Gallagher encouraged people to discuss issues of race and police brutality in person or, for safety, via video chats. He said he has met with police chiefs and sheriffs in the 8th Congressional District and started to meet with community leaders in Appleton last week and will continue to do so. He has not met with protest organizers to discuss their concerns.
"I want to have a frank conversation with members of the African American community here to understand how this is affecting them and their concerns, but also to engage with sheriffs and police chiefs," Gallagher said.
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