Milwaukee – Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke is leaving his position as sheriff to serve in President Donald Trump’s Department of Homeland Security, according to a report from FOX 6 NEWS.
Clarke, who has been Milwaukee County’s sheriff since 2002, confirmed he is leaving the Sheriff’s Office to become deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on Vicki McKenna’s radio show Wednesday afternoon. “I’m looking forward to joining that team,” Clarke said on the talk show on 1130 WISN Radio.
Sheriff Clarke will be taking on the position of assistant secretary at Homeland Security which does not require Senate confirmation.
Over the course of the 2016 campaign, Clarke was elevated to the mantel of the nation’s most divisive law-enforcement figure.
Senator Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee) released the following statement regarding Clarke’s departure:
“While Sheriff Clarke’s departure is good news for Milwaukee County, it affirms the 45th President’s lack of clear judgement and regard for the safety of our nation and its people.
“Since Clarke failed in his duty to protect human lives in Milwaukee County’s jail and abused his authority by harassing and threating residents, why would the 45th President even consider Clarke for an appointment?
“Under Clarke’s leadership, children to the mentally ill have suffered and died, resulting in multiple costly lawsuits that stick Milwaukee taxpayers with the bill as Clarke giddy ups and rides to D.C. I pray for the sake of human life that Sheriff Clarke has learned from the horror show that he has left behind in Milwaukee County.”
Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele on the news that Sheriff David Clarke stated:
“I’ve said repeatedly that Milwaukee deserves better than Sheriff Clarke. America does too.
“For the County I love and am privileged to serve, I am genuinely excited about the prospect of a Sheriff I can work with to find evidence-based solutions that will improve public safety and safely reduce our jail population, and who actually cares about addressing the indefensible racial disparities that everyone in Milwaukee should have as their first priority.
“For the Country I love, the last thing America needs is another loud voice angrily and unproductively telling you who to blame and who not to trust.
“The appointment of Sheriff Clarke to a position intended to build partnership and engagement is not a decision made by someone interested in partnership or engagement.”
Clarke will not be missed appears to be the general consensus.
