3 finalists for top Milwaukee violence prevention position meet the community in public forum

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The final three candidates to lead the city of Milwaukee's Office of Community Wellness and Safety met the community Monday night, July 21, for an open forum.

It was the first of two sessions before the new, permanent director is chosen.

The candidates include one familiar face, one new face, and one homecoming.

At the forum, the candidates introduced themselves, then took questions from audience members about the challenges facing Milwaukee and their plans to address them.

The first to speak was Paul Callanan, most recently of Louisville, Kentucky, where he led that city's Office of Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods.

Callanan stressed the importance of working with a diverse group of stakeholders who can share ideas and develop a course of action.

Callanan said, "We have to build that coalition, that infrastructure that can ensure gun violence is dealt with in the city. So that it’s a safer city for everybody."

Next up was the current interim director in Milwaukee, Karin Tyler. She received the warmest ovations of the night from an audience that knows her best.

Tyler spoke about losing both her son and father to separate acts of violence, saying it fuels her dedication to her community.

Tyler said, "We have got to get to people prior to them making that next move. It’s critical. And so, I, based on what I told you, I know the importance of that. And I move with urgency."

And the third candidate to speak was Abraham Morris, a Wisconsin native who has worked most recently in Orlando, Florida.

Morris impressed many in the crowd by talking about wanting to involve and hire people from marginalized communities or who have experienced violence themselves.

Morris said, "We see the same trend over and over again. And I think a lot of times we think our communities are so much different than others. But we really have more in common than we do different. And I think that needs to be discussed more often."

Another candidate forum will be held Tuesday night, July 22. It will be held at the North Division High School auditorium at 10th and Center. That public forum will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.