Milwaukee litter issues; alderman faces backlash over comments

MILWAUKEE - It is a problem we see every spring – litter and trash on the side of the road in parts of Milwaukee. It has led to a Milwaukee alderman to call for a crackdown.

Milwaukee litter issues

What we know:

You cannot miss the mess along some Milwaukee streets – and some neighbors are upset by the sight. 

In a statement on Monday, March 24, Milwaukee Alderman Lamont Westmoreland called out the litter. He wrote about "wigs – often mistaken for roadkill," empty Hennessy bottles, and dirty diapers being thrown from the windows of moving vehicles. 

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Westmoreland said he wants to see police strictly enforce the $500 fine for littering. He also called on people to have "just plain human decency."

Backlash for alderman

What they're saying:

After receiving backlash, Westmoreland issued a new statement on Wednesday, admitting he missed the mark. 

"By him being a new alderman and new to the position, I think that he needs to make the adjustments on how to address the public," said Tory Lowe, community advocate and radio host. 

Lowe talks about Westmoreland's comments on his radio show. 

"We have an alderman that is catching a lot of flack about some comments he made about the litter," Lowe said. 

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FOX6 News went to Lowe because he also holds a community cleanup every year. 

"This is a situation where he could’ve actually said, 'OK, you know, what I see is litter on the ground. I’m going to do a press conference. I’m going to have a community cleanup and I’m going to give out the right message," Lowe said. 

Littering citations

Local perspective:

Milwaukee police have issued only two littering citations in 2025. Officers gave out 23 in 2024 and 27 in 2023. 

When asked about citations, Milwaukee police wanted to make it clear that law enforcement alone would not resolve this issue.