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“See Something, Say Something:” After Orlando, new campaign will target Milwaukee`s entertainment district
"See Something, Say Something:" After Orlando, new campaign will target Milwaukee`s entertainment district
MILWAUKEE -- A new campaign targeting Milwaukee's downtown entertainment district is encouraging business owners and patrons to be on the lookout for suspicious activity. It is an attempt to try to prevent mass shootings in this post-Orlando world.
This campaign isn't meant to scare anyone. In fact, organizers say the goal is just the opposite. They believe providing people with information and resources will make those heading out in Milwaukee feel a lot safer.
On Tuesday, June 28th, there will be something on tap at the bar inside "The Garden" on Milwaukee Street that doesn't involve alcohol.
"We`re promoting 'See Something, Say Something,'" Mitch Ross with the Intelligence Fusion Center said.
Summerfest
The campaign will be launched one day before Summerfest begins -- and two weeks after the mass shooting in Orlando. Forty-nine people died when a gunman opened fire at the Pulse nightclub.
Intelligence Fusion Center officials will host specific training sessions for bartenders, nightclub owners and bouncers -- teaching them to look out for potential terrorist activity.
The training will be held at "The Garden."
"These are venues that terrorists at all levels -- these are the areas people want to target," Ross said.
Ross is the training and outreach officer for the Intelligence Fusion Center -- a division of the Milwaukee Police Department and Homeland Security.
The training will help each business establish a chain of command if, for example, a patron reports something suspicious to a bartender.
See Something, Say Something campaign in Milwaukee
"It`s raising a red flag for you," Ross said.
The SURG Restaurant Group will participate in this training, and worked with the Intelligence Fusion Center to get this program started.
"It`s always a concern and I think Orlando has opened a lot of eyes in all communities," Omar Shaikh with SURG Restaurant Group said.
See Something, Say Something campaign in Milwaukee
Along with this training, the "See Something, Say Something" campaign will roll out Tuesday -- targeting those who frequent the downtown Milwaukee area -- encouraging them to report anything out of the ordinary.
"It`s not about a color, a dress or a language. It is about behavior and activity," Ross said.
The Intelligence Fusion Center works separately with Summerfest officials on similar training.
You'll see "See Something, Say Something" posters as you enter the gates at Summefest beginning Wednesday, June 29th.
The training in downtown Milwaukee will take place at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.