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Water Street shootings; leaders, police meet
Milwaukee leaders pressed the police department for solutions Wednesday after a number of recent shootings on Water Street.
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee leaders pressed police for solutions Wednesday after a number of recent shootings on Water Street. Seven people have been shot there this month, two of whom died.
Emergency meeting
What they're saying:
From the hallways to Common Council chambers, everyone is fed up with the recent violence downtown.
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"I’m a little frustrated," said Karen Paget.
Emergency public safety meeting addresses Water Street shootings
City leaders and nearby business owners expressed clear frustration after the emergency public safety meeting, while police shared their challenges.
"Is it just fiction in our minds that it’s just worse right now?" Ald. Scott Spiker said.
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"We have people resorting to violence with a complete disregard for the safety of the person who’s the victim of the violence," said MPD Chief of Staff Heather Hough.
Hough faced the Common Council on Wednesday. She explained the challenges the police department faces, including bad human behavior and police being stretched thin.
"We’re outnumbered," said Hough. "If we have limited officers, even a two-officer response to a 10-person brawl, it’s very difficult to step in."
Milwaukee police downtown staffing shortages, officer pay issues
Milwaukee police are investigating staffing shortages downtown. FOX6 uncovered that only a few officers were working downtown one night this week.
What can be done?
What's next:
Police laid out a proposed plan to increase the presence of officers, strengthen curfew enforcement and manage potential barriers to stop reckless drivers on Water Street.
"We’re going to add some officers here and there. We’re going to beef this up a little bit, they’re going to put lights on their shoulders," said Ald. Bob Bauman. "If that’s the best we can do, you’re basically telling downtown, ‘You’re on your own folks. Hope for bad weather.’"
Milwaukee Police Department (MPD)
"It’s not the businesses. It’s the kids that are coming in from other areas that are on the street that are not in the establishments," said Karen Paget.
Neighbors also want city leaders to look at food truck operations, where they say people tend to gather after bars close.
Dig deeper:
Milwaukee police surprisingly singled out ELMNT Lounge as a problem area on Wednesday. FOX6 News reached out to the business for comment but did not hear back by the deadline for this story.
The Source: FOX6 News attended Wednesday's emergency meeting and interviewed people after. Prior coverage of recent shootings, including information from the Milwaukee Police Department, was also used.