Milwaukee community engagement listening sessions announced
MILWAUKEE - If you want to see a safer Milwaukee, the city needs your help. You are invited to a community listening session to share your thoughts on how to improve the Milwaukee you call home.
"This is a 'we' when it comes to impacting public safety in our community," said Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman at a news conference on Wednesday, July 6.
The chief and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson say the community has to work together to see change.
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"We expect everyone who is hearing this and seeing this to be engaged and doing their part -- meaning that we need to spread the word, we need to be sure we are being communicative, and as proactive as possible," said Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman. "I think it's important for those who are part of these particular efforts to have their own area of networks to reach out and say, this is your time -- this is your opportunity to stand up and step up. Because as we all know, only through the engagement and feedback from our residents, from our community stakeholders, will this actually have the type of momentum, but also buy-in."
Mayor Johnson said public safety is something that needs to have everyone at the table.
"You cannot just put it all on police. You cannot put it all on elected officials, right? We can't be on everybody's block at all times," Johnson said. "You are there. You are the eyes, you are the ears. When you raise your voice and get the information to the authorities, that puts us in the better position to make the neighborhoods safer."
The first step is to host community listening sessions in each of the city's aldermanic districts.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson
"We want good ideas. We want thoughtful suggestions and we want positive engagement to happen," the mayor said.
"We have collectively been through so much over the past year. The challenges before us are clear -- and we have clarified our focus on both safety and justice through an equity lens," said Leon Todd, Executive Director of the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission.
Leon Todd, Executive Director of Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission
Milwaukee police released on Tuesday, July 5 a review of crime in the city. The data showed most violent crime and reckless driving is down. But homicides are on a track to break a record. The data from MPD's website shows 111 homicides so far in 2022. At this time in 2021, there were 84.
18-year-old Kendall Harris has her own solutions to improve Milwaukee.
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"I feel like we need to focus more on like targeting what is causing the problem not the problem exactly," Harris said.
Harris is a member of a community organization for Milwaukee youth called Urban Underground. She plans to attend one of those listening sessions.
"There are people stealing cars. Why are they stealing cars? What can we do about them stealing cars not just oh, they’re stealing cars, let’s try to find them and lock 'em up," Harris said.
Listening sessions scheduled
Listening sessions will be held every fourth Saturday. The first session will be Saturday, July 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Marquette University's Eckstein Hall (1215 W. Michigan Street).