Downtown Milwaukee safety on Water Street; city leaders ponder options

Milwaukee leaders ponder downtown safety options

Milwaukee police answered questions about downtown enforcement following a fatal shooting on Water Street in March.

MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee police answered questions at the city's Public Safety Committee meeting on Friday, April 10, about downtown enforcement following a fatal shooting on Water Street in March. Two others were wounded in that shooting.

Water Street safety debate

What we know:

Milwaukee police said the incident was the result of a feud between those involved. 

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Officials said the night of the shooting, they tripled their staffing for what they called a "Code Red Deployment" because of the warmer weather. They said many of the problems downtown come from those loitering who are under 21 years old. 

The Common Council discussed stricter curfew enforcement, scooter restrictions, and even looking into fencing off the area to make security stronger. 

What they're saying:

"Downtown is everybody’s neighborhood. It does deserve the police resources necessary to maintain the economic engine, so this engine continues to function and produce economic value, and social value for all the citizens of Milwaukee and frankly, all the residents of southeast Wisconsin," said Alderman Robert Bauman. 

One person was arrested and charged in that Water Street shooting investigation. 

The council and police agreed that more conversations need to be had with multiple community organizations to improve safety.