Madison- Today, the Wisconsin State Assembly was in session and passed Assembly Bill 633. Assembly Bill 633 was authored by Representative Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) and aims to improve the emergency detention transport process. The bill received overwhelming support from sheriffs, chiefs of police, counties and municipalities all across Wisconsin.
“The difficult issues surrounding the emergency detention process knows no boundaries,” said Rep. Born. “This process takes officers off the streets for hours at a time and strains local government budgets all across the state. This bill will allow law enforcement to contract out these transport services, keeping them on the streets and protecting our communities.”
Chapter 51.15 of Wisconsin statutes governs the complex policies surrounding emergency detention. In short, an emergency detention occurs when law enforcement takes an individual into custody because they believe they pose a threat to themselves or others. Data provided by the Wisconsin Bureau of Justice Information and Analysis shows that on average, officers spend nearly 9 hours off the streets per incident.
“Although this legislation doesn’t address all of the challenges associated with this process, it is a significant start that will have a direct impact on our local communities as soon as it is signed into law,” said Rep. Born. “I look forward to shepherding this bill through the Senate chamber and sending it to the Governor’s desk.”
Assembly Bill 633 passed the Assembly with bipartisan support. The bill has been introduced in the Senate and is awaiting a public hearing.
