MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Gov. Evers announced Wednesday, March 2, $8.4 million previously allocated to the city of Milwaukee’s Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) was officially released following approval by the Milwaukee Common Council.

The funding is part of the governor’s larger $45 million investment, announced in October 2021, to address crime, ensure safer communities through violence prevention, and provide support for crime victims. The allocation to OVP is intended to respond to the pandemic-related uptick in violence and trauma in the city of Milwaukee.

“We're continuing our work to build a state that works for everyone, including safer communities, schools, and streets, and the Office of Violence Prevention continues to be a leader in taking a public health approach to this issue, utilizing commonsense, evidence-based solutions, and working directly with our neighborhoods,” said Gov. Evers. “I’m glad to be able to use these funds to invest in the folks who are doing this critically important work on the ground to interrupt the cycle of violence and reduce crime, address trauma, support victims and survivors, and ensure safer communities for our kids, families, and all Milwaukeeans.”

According to a news release from Gov. Evers' office, the Milwaukee Common Council last month passed a resolution authorizing a memorandum of understanding to receive their allocation of these funds that was executed last week. OVP will use the funds to take a public health approach to violence prevention, addressing the significant increases in crime and decreases in markers of community well-being.

These targeted violence prevention efforts include crisis response coordination, suicide prevention intervention, youth violence prevention intervention, launch of the Violence Prevention Partnership, neighborhood-based implementation of the Blueprint for Peace, OVP internal capacity support, and expansion of 414LIFE’s team of violence interrupters. OVP will coordinate with community organizations and residents, including re-granting some of the funds to community-based organizations through a competitive process.