KENOSHA, Wis. — The Kenosha County Sheriff's Department and Kenosha Police Department say there is no reason to close roads or enact a curfew ahead of a verdict being returned in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, according to a joint statement issued Tuesday.
"At this time, we have no reason to facilitate road closures, enact curfews or ask our communities to modify their daily routines," the statement said.
The joint statement goes on to say that the two agencies "understand and recognize the anxiety" surrounding the trial but that such measures are not needed, at least not now.
"Our departments have worked together and made coordinated efforts over the last year to improve response capabilities to large-scale events," the statement says. "We have also strengthened our existing relationships with State and Federal resources."
The statement concluded by saying both agencies will continue to be engaged with community leaders about the trial.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has already called on the Wisconsin National Guard to assist local law enforcement in anticipation of potential unrest in the city following the jury's decision.
The jury in Rittenhouse's trial began deliberations Tuesday morning after a full day of closing arguments and jury instructions on Monday.
The judge had Rittenhouse draw slips from a raffle drum to select alternate jurors who will be dismissed before deliberations. Eighteen jurors sat through two weeks of testimony.
The jurors must decide if Rittenhouse is responsible for the deaths of the two protesters he shot on Aug. 25, 2020, amid at times violent demonstrations against police brutality following the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
Rittenhouse faces charges of first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide, and two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety. He faces life in prison if convicted on one of the intentional homicide counts.
This story was originally published by Scripps station TMJ4 in Milwaukee.
