MPD, UWM police east side operation nets 40 arrests, 26 UWM students

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee police, along with UW-Milwaukee police arrested 40 people over the weekend, in their east side operation to keep neighborhoods free from crime and disorder. Of a total of 40 people that were arrested, 26 are UWM students.

Milwaukee police have recently stepped up patrols in areas surrounding UWM, following complaints from neighbors of drunken and disorderly behavior.

Last weekend, 39 people were arrested, 25 of them UWM students. Instead of simply issuing citations, police are now taking students downtown and booking and citing them for things like underage drinking, excessive noise and disorderly conduct.

A total of 49 individual charges were issued to the 40 people for the following offenses:

    Police say they continue to send a strong message to the community that this enforcement mission will not only help rid the neighborhoods of crime and disorder, but creates an awareness by the student population that intoxicated persons frequently become the victims of violent crime.

    "Nobody wants to see anybody get in trouble. What we want to do is just make sure students behave responsibly," UWM Vice Chancellor Tom Luljak said.

    Luljak says university officials warned students about the police crackdown via email, and says UWM supports Milwaukee police in this effort.

    "All of us have to be responsible for our actions, and sometimes it takes a lesson that the university is serious about this, and so is the city," Luljak said.

    Some students say they understand the beefed up patrols, but don't necessarily agree with being booked for a noise complaint.

    "I think a ticket, and that's about it," one student told FOX6 News.

    UW-Milwaukee has a student body population of over 30,000.

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