Milwaukee police stations adding bulletproof glass after incidents

Milwaukee police districts will soon have added security after a shooting inside District 5 on Feb. 25.

MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee police districts will soon have added security after a shooting inside District 5 on Feb. 25.

Police will continue to service the public inside each district station, but access remains limited inside District 5.

"Seeing those officers, although they weren’t physically injured, there is definitely mental trauma that will need to be treated," said Milwaukee Police Association President Andrew Wagner.

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

In response to that shooting, and a separate incident where someone jumped the counter, Wagner said bulletproof glass will be installed at all district stations.

"It will be about a six-inch gap to allow for ventilation, but it should be protected from almost floor to ceiling," Wagner said.

Scene of officer-involved at Milwaukee Police District 5

When pressed in March, city leaders told FOX6 News they were willing write a check to get it done.

"In this particular case, money is not an issue," said Alderman Mark Borkowski.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android.

Still, Wagner said donations to the Milwaukee Police Foundation will go toward the six-figure cost. Two sources told FOX6 that District 5 at one point had a makeshift barricade – boxes of paper stacked on the counter as a shield.

"I think they were doing the best they could to try and prevent another incident from occurring," Wagner said.

Security shots Darreon Parker-Bell open fire inside MPD District 5

Friday, the boxes were gone – but the public still needs to be buzzed in. The added safety measure has raised questions about public access.

"Sure, you want that relationship, but nothing prevents these officers from opening the door, stepping out and talking with them as soon as they know it’s safe," said Wagner.

Statement from MPD on project funding, timeline:

The Milwaukee Police Department identified areas of concern of the physical security at the district stations. Ballistic/Bullet Resistant Glass was identified as a possible solution. During this process, the Milwaukee Police Foundation expressed an active interest in partnering with the department to fund this project. We are still in the process of implementing the new security measures and expect to begin installation in early summer.

Featured