Milwaukee bar districts plan for Halloween weekend crowds, safety

Bar districts plan for Halloween safety

Halloween can be great for Milwaukee bar revenue. This weekend, businesses said they have a plan to keep people safe and crowds under control.

MILWAUKEE - Halloween can be a great recipe for Milwaukee bar revenue, but after last weekend got a little too rowdy, businesses said they have a plan this time around.

Bar districts prepare

Local perspective:

Who's on Third, a staple on King Drive, takes its Halloween preparation seriously. They have extra staff coming in, but there will also be a different kind of help – like added security and a broader police presence.

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"They close the street down around 9 p.m., so that's really when we see just a huge flux of people coming out," said general manager Bailee Gustafson. "I feel like we're a pretty tame area."

The backstory:

A few miles away, last weekend wasn't so tame on Brady Street.

King Drive bar district

Michael Sander, executive director of the Brady Street Business Improvement District, there crowds in the street, loitering issues and fights that prompted police to ask bars to shut down early.

"Last weekend was chaos. It was kind of like a street takeover," he said. Now, there's an effort to avoid a repeat.

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"We all came up with a plan, so we have a plan that we put in place to make ourselves feel safe and make sure that the residents around us feel safe."

What they're saying:

Sander said there will be 31 cameras throughout the street that police will monitor. Bar-goers will also notice more officers and private security in place.

"We're going to try to all just stick together, and MPD's coming in a bigger force," he said. "We hope to control the situation."

Brady Street bar district

It's a plan of action Sander hopes will keep order and keep people safe.

"Our neighborhood is a place for residents. People go to church, people go to school there. This is not a party atmosphere," he said. "If you're not coming to patronize our businesses, stay off our streets, I would like."

The Milwaukee Police Department confirmed it will have additional patrols out for Halloween festivities this weekend.