MADISON, WI- Memo to ambulance-chasing attorney Ben Crump—be careful about what you ask for.
In the aftermath of several high-profile uses of force by police officers, leftist politicians, social justice warriors and race-baiting, ambulance-chasing attorneys like Ben Crump demanded police be issued body-worn cameras. As we have seen since municipalities and police departments bent the knee and deployed body-worn cameras, more often than not they have exonerated police officers and protected them from bogus improper use of force claims.
That has not stopped Crump and Wisconsin State Rep. Sheila Stubbs from slamming Madison city leaders for failure to provide city police officers with body-worn cameras. The demand comes in the aftermath of an officer-involved shooting where Corey Ruiz, 38, was shot and killed by a Madison police officer in July after he pulled out a knife on officers during a physical struggle.
Crump, Stubbs, and the family of Ruiz appeared at a news conference where they pushed for a Madison body camera. They are also asking for an agreement when footage is released (likely not when it exonerates the officer) and legislation requiring cameras for all Wisconsin police officers.
“It is unacceptable in 2026, our community continues to be traumatized and re-traumatized by the city’s failure to take meaningful action,” Stubbs complained. She said she is supportive of any legislation the Ruiz family and Crump want introduced.
“Any legislation that the family, along with Attorney Crump, would like to introduce, I am supportive, and that’s what I would introduce,” Stubbs continued.
According to the group, city leaders in Madison have passed on opportunities to enact a camera policy.
“I’m dumbfounded,” said Crump in a vast understatement. “That in 2026 in Madison, Wisconsin, the police don’t have body camera videos so we can see what happened when they have interactions with citizens.”
“We are asking for legislation, please, in the name of Corey Ruiz. And we want there to be body camera video policy here in Madison, Wisconsin,” Crump continued.
Stubbs said Madison officials did not apply for a state grant program that could have aided in funding the cameras years ago. In 2021, Wisconsin Act 185 created a Department of Justice grant program to assist police agencies in purchasing body cameras, with the Joint Committee on Finance approving $2 million for the program for the 2021-22 fiscal year. The program took effect in March 2022.
“When I tell you every single law enforcement agency who applied for the grant, all 48 of them, received one, including the city of Middleton, the village of Belleville, and Iowa County, all got grants,” Stubbs said. “On the state level, we enacted policy. We created an opportunity to bring transparency and accountability to law enforcement agencies across the state of Wisconsin. But what did the city do? They failed to apply.”
According to WMTV, they were able to confirm Stubbs’ contention that 48 departments had availed themselves of the body-worn camera grant. The City of Madison does not appear on the list of grant recipients, proving the claim that it did not receive funding through the program.
In 2024, the city’s North District took part in a 90-day pilot program for body cameras, however, the Madison Common Council voted down a budget amendment in 2025 that would have funded the cameras.
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway told WMTV that she plans to include funding for the cameras in the 2027 city budget.
“As I have said publicly, I do intend to include funding for a Body-Worn Camera Program in the 2027 City budget. Throughout this year, alders have communicated clear support for the program,” Rhodes-Conway said.
She noted that the cameras are only part of the financial outlay for the program, noting that there are additional operating costs, such as staff, associated with it. She blamed state funding for restricting what cities can do.
“Rising costs make it a challenge just to continue the services we are already providing to Madison residents. The lack of options provided by the State makes adding anything new to our operating budget—particularly staff—very difficult,” the mayor said.
She also noted that the police department plans to apply for a federal grant to purchase the needed equipment.
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