2 measures to curb downtown Milwaukee violence on hold

Added: 2026-05-16

[00:00:00]FILE CHARGES AGAINST A WOMAN WHO WAS ALSO PART OF THAT FIGHT AND ARRESTED.

[00:00:05]TWO PLANTS FROM THE COMMON COUNCIL TO STOP VIOLENCE DOWNTOWN ARE NOW ON HOLD.

[00:00:09]KENDALL KEYS IS LIVE NEAR WATER AND JUNEAU STREETS DOWNTOWN.

[00:00:12]THE COMMON COUNCIL BROUGHT TWO IDEAS TO THE TABLE, BUT IT’S NOT LOOKING LIKE EITHER WILL BE IN PLACE ANYTIME SOON.

[00:00:19]>> RIGHT.

[00:00:19]THERE ARE TWO PROPOSALS TO TRY TO CURB VIOLENCE ON THIS BUSY DOWNTOWN STREET ARE NOW ON HOLD, AND THE ALDERMAN WHO REPRESENTS DOWNTOWN TELLS ME HE’S NOW QUESTIONING WHAT THE CITY’S GOVERNING BODY HAS THE POWER TO DO.

[00:00:32]>> AND MOVE TO SEND IT BACK TO COMMITTEE.

[00:00:35]>> ALDERMAN ROBERT BAUMAN, PUTTING A PIN IN A MEASURE THAT WOULD HAVE DIRECTED MULTIPLE CITY AGENCIES TO DRAFT A PLAN FOR SECURITY PERIMETERS AROUND DOWNTOWN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS.

[00:00:45]>> THE POINT THAT WOULD PROBABLY JUST BE HELD.

[00:00:48]>> BAUMAN INTRODUCED THE MEASURE LAST MONTH IN RESPONSE TO VIOLENCE ON WATER STREET, HOPING TO ANSWER WHETHER A FENCE OR WEAPON CHECKPOINTS COULD MAKE DOWNTOWN SAFER.

[00:00:56]>> LIKE FRIDAY, SATURDAY NIGHT, IT KIND OF GETS LIKE, SKETCHY.

[00:00:59]DEFINITELY.

[00:00:59]LIKE DEFINITELY WATER STREET.

[00:01:01]>> JUST THIS SPRING, THERE’S BEEN TWO DEADLY SHOOTINGS NEAR THE DOWNTOWN BARS.

[00:01:06]TUESDAY, BAUMAN BACKPEDALED ON THE SECURITY ZONE IDEA, POINTING TO ANOTHER EFFORT TO CURB DOWNTOWN VIOLENCE THAT’S ALSO ON HOLD.

[00:01:13]>> THERE’S NO LITIGATION PENDING OVER THE FOOD TRUCK REGULATION, AND THIS IS IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD IN TERMS OF REGULATORY AUTHORITY.

[00:01:21]>> A CURFEW THAT WOULD HAVE FORCED DOWNTOWN FOOD TRUCKS TO CLOSE AT 10 P.M. RATHER THAN 1 A.M., STALLED BY AN ONGOING LAWSUIT.

[00:01:28]>> I DON’T THINK IT WILL DO MUCH FOR SAFETY.

[00:01:30]I THINK IT MORE SO.

[00:01:31]THIS IS UNFORTUNATE FOR THE OWNERS.

[00:01:33]>> THE JUDGE PUT A HOLD ON THE CURFEW CHANGE, ASKING THE CITY FOR MORE EVIDENCE.

[00:01:38]NOW BAUMAN QUESTIONING WHAT POWER CITY HALL HAS OVER THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS.

[00:01:41]>> THERE’S THAT QUESTION AS TO WHAT AUTHORITY THE CITY ACTUALLY HAS TO POLICE THESE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS AND TO SET REGULATIONS FOR THESE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS.

[00:01:50]>> HE SAYS HE WANTS DOWNTOWN BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS TO WEIGH IN.

[00:01:53]>> FOR MANY MONTHS, THEY’VE BEEN URGING US TO TAKE ACTION AND TAKE ACTION.

[00:01:58]THEY HEAD FOR THE HILLS.

[00:01:59]SO AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO STEP UP OR WE’RE GOING TO STEP BACK.

[00:02:04]>> A LOT OF PLAYERS INVOLVED HERE.

[00:02:06]KENDALL, I KNOW YOU REACHED OUT TO THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AS WELL.

[00:02:10]>> RIGHT, DEREK.

[00:02:11]WITH THESE TWO MEASURES NOW STALLED, I HOPE TO ASK THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AND THE WESTOWN BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE DONE ABOUT VIOLENCE DOWNTOWN, BUT I DID NOT HEAR BACK FROM EITHER OF THOSE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT