MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- There is officially a new person in charge of preventing violence in the city of Milwaukee. The common council, during a lengthy meeting, approved Karin Tyler as the new Director for the Department of Community Wellness and Safety, formerly known as the Office of Violence Prevention. It came after what some alders described as a "contentious recommendation."

"We’re ready to get to this work. We had a lot of transitions within our department," shared Tyler. There have been four transitions in directors, to be exact, since last January. Ashanti Hamilton resigned in January of 2024. Karin Tyler served as interim director until August, when Adam Procell was picked by the mayor to be the new head. However, he resigned in late January, leaving Tyler as interim director once again.

This Tuesday was the second time this year her appointment made its way to the Common Council, as last month they brought it back to committee for additional discussion. District 10 Alderwoman Sharlen Moore expressed “grave concerns” over Tyler’s ability to lead the department, including the lack of funding given to the department by the state. Now, though, she says she believes in Tyler as the city has a lot at stake. "I’m looking forward to her leadership. I look forward to supporting the department as I’ve done in the past and I‘m just hoping there’s a line of clear communication. I’m looking forward to moving forward and doing what’s best for the city. The city deserves that," she said.

Tyler's appointment narrowly passed with nine ayes, three no's, two abstentions, and one excused. These heavy discussions Tyler said, prove how crucial this role is: "violence prevention is something that is very important to people, it’s attached to a lot of feelings in regards to lost loved ones and as people know with myself losing my son to gun violence, I take this responsibility very seriously, and this whole process has made me a stronger person."

Tyler has worked with the violence prevention team for eight years and says she's ready to get to work, especially as the summer tends to lead to a spike in violence in our city. "I'm excited to elevate the things that have worked and some of the things we may need to improve on. I'm excited to get out there and bring those numbers down in the city. Violence is preventable, and we have a team that is here for it," she continued. 

As to her first steps, Tyler said she looks forward to "analyzing everything" in terms of impact and effectiveness, being transparent with data. She also noted she wants to "elevate healing" so victims don't become perpetrators.