National Guard deployed to Kenosha; county supervisors say they should have come sooner

Kenosha County Emergency Management Director Lt. Horace Staples said the declaration of a State of Emergency at 11 p.m. Sunday started the process of activating the deployment.

“They have been deployed,” Staples said.

However, some Kenosha County officials believe the process should not have taken as long as it did.

Kenosha County supervisors Terry Rose and Zach Rodriguez said Monday they feel “someone dropped the ball.”

“Myself and other supervisors were knocking on the doors of other supervisors at 2 a.m. because the National Guard hadn’t been sent to Kenosha,” Rodriguez said.

Staples said he submitted the request to Wisconsin Emergency Management at 3 a.m. That office in turn submits the request to the governor o Wisconsin, who activates the National Guard.

Those who serve in the National Guard are then called to respond for deployment.

“There is a 12-hour window to gather everyone,” Staples said.​