Milwaukee leaders aim for peace this holiday weekend

MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee leaders are working to keep the peace ahead of the unofficial start to summer. 

From violence interrupters to police and community organizers, Milwaukee leaders say a peaceful weekend will take help from everyone.  

"If you are a teacher, a preacher, a mentor, a friend, a family member, you have a role in helping to prevent violence too," said Mayor Cavalier Johnson.

There is a united message ahead of Memorial Day weekend.

"There’s no acceptable amount of violence," said David Muhammad, deputy director of the Department of Health and Human Services.

"It’s everybody’s responsibility to be part of conflict resolution," said Milwaukee Police Inspector Shannon Seymer-Tabaska. She says the department will have focused deployments and patrols focused on stopping violence. 

"This weekend we have additional resources that are going to be out there city-wide," she said. "We want to provide deterrents to crime and reckless driving and hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable holiday. 

The Milwaukee Police Department can't share specific details on patroling locations. 

The DHS says it will have teams in neighborhoods plagued by violence and trauma. 

"We’re going to make sure we’re in those neighborhoods, going door to door, doing street outreach, going to those gas stations going to those other areas," said Muhammad. "Making sure we’re distributing public health information and connecting people with resources and speaking to them about deescalating and resolving conflict without guns."

The city has seen an upward trend in non-fatal shootings and homicides. This is part of the goal to save lives. 

"That we don’t see young people become the victim of violence this weekend. That is success," he said.

"Success is everyone having a safe, enjoyable holiday," said Seymer-Tabaska.

The DHS says it will have over 25 people throughout the weekend to engage with communities and promote anti-violence.