"It's real simple. Stop:" Gov. Walker briefed by Milwaukee police on unrest, calls for calm

MILWAUKEE -- Gov. Scott Walker visited one of the Milwaukee Police Department district headquarters on Monday evening, August 15th to receive a briefing from city and police department officials and visit with officers in the wake of unrest this past weekend. Walker met with Police Chief Ed Flynn as well as Mayor Tom Barrett.

Gov. Scott Walker

After that meeting, the governor spoke with reporters and had a message for anyone considering violence in Milwaukee tonight and in the future.

"Stop. It's real simple. Stop," Walker said. "If businesses are burned down, people are afraid to live and work there. It's only going to make those problems more difficult."

The governor pointed out that both of his children were born at St. Joseph's Hospital not far from the Sherman Park area -- and that he had involvement with the Boys and Girls Club there. Walker said the unrest in that neighborhood is in no way a reflection of the vast majority of the people living there. He said Sherman Park is a special park.

Unrest in Sherman Park neighborhood

Gov. Walker reminded reporters that Wisconsin is the first state and to date, one of the few states, that requires an independent investigation anytime a law enforcement official is involved in a shooting that leads to a death. That is not done internally -- as was done prior to the state law.

"We're hopeful that people will go to their homes and make sure that particularly our kids of all ages that we're accountable for, it's an important time to just ease things up," Walker said about the stricter enforcement on the teenage curfew in Milwaukee.

Earlier, Gov. Walker also met with members of the 32nd Military Police Company -- which is standing by ready to help in Milwaukee if called upon. They are simply activated at this point -- not deployed.

Pastor Gregory Lewis

Gov. Walker did not go to Sherman Park on Monday evening.

Meanwhile, Pastor Gregory Lewis was one of those ministering near Sherman Park on Sunday. Lewis thinks the violence, sparked by the officer-involved fatal shooting, has forced the hands of elected leaders.

"Dialogue isn't going to be enough this time, I don't believe. People have to see something happening," Lewis said.