Milwaukee Public Safety & Health Committee Meeting - April 30, 2026

The Public Safety and Health Committee of the Milwaukee Common Council convened on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at 9:04 AM in Room 301-B of City Hall. Chair Ald. Scott Spiker presided, with Ald. Peter Burgelis, Ald. Larresa Taylor, Ald. Sharlen P. Moore, and Ald. Mark Chambers Jr. present. The meeting adjourned at 11:28 AM after considering 17 agenda items, including a major opioid settlement spending plan, a briefing on vehicular street takeovers, and numerous routine grant resolutions.

Consent Calendar

• Parking Controls Ordinance (File 252156): Recommended for passage unanimously (5-0). Changes include removing a no-parking zone on N. 37th St., creating one-hour parking zones near Global Power Components, three-hour metered parking at UWM dorms, five new accessible parking spaces, and an overnight parking exception on N. Palmer St. Ald. Burgelis noted that the one-hour zones are needed because the company's operations have caused neighborhood disruption; he indicated restrictions may be revisited.
• Traffic Controls Ordinance (File 252157): Recommended for passage unanimously (5-0). Installs an all-way stop at Melvina & 83rd St. and removes a yield sign at Reynolds Place & Pierce St.
• Beach Water Monitoring Grant (File 252136): Recommended for adoption unanimously (4-0, Chambers excused). Accepts $20,000 from WDNR to fund summer beach water testing at three county beaches in the city.
• Healthy Food Establishment Special Fund (File 252158): Recommended for adoption unanimously (4-0, Chambers excused). Authorizes the Health Commissioner to award grants from this fund to address food deserts.
• 2026 WIC Grant Amendment (File 252186): Recommended for adoption unanimously (4-0, Chambers excused). Adjusts grant term to align with a new state fiscal calendar.
• Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety Enforcement Grant (File 252119): Recommended for adoption unanimously (4-0, Chambers excused). Accepts $25,200 from WisDOT (with $6,300 match) for high-visibility enforcement; Marquette University Police Department is a new partner.
• Edward Byrne Memorial JAG Grant (File 252135): Recommended for adoption unanimously (4-0, Chambers absent). Accepts $946,496 total; city's share of $480,248 funds MPD equipment and temporary contracts.
• Domestic Violence High Risk Team Grant (File 252174): Recommended for adoption and referral to Finance & Personnel unanimously (4-0, Chambers excused). Accepts $448,751 extension to continue identifying high-risk homicide cases.
• Congenital Disorder/Newborn Screening Grant (File 252126): Recommended for adoption and referral to Finance & Personnel unanimously (4-0, Chambers excused). Accepts $300,000 from Wisconsin DHS for newborn follow-up care.
• Fire & Police Commission SOPs (File 252147): Recommended for placing on file (4-0, Chambers absent) except for the new Foot Pursuit policy (SOP 100), which was held to allow Aldermen to review a missing summary memo. Other SOPs, including modifications to canine policy (adding electronic storage detection canine) and creation of Crash Reconstruction Unit SOI, were accepted.
• Trauma Care Resolution (File 211260) & Community Intervention Task Force Agreement (File 220510): Both placed on file as no longer necessary (4-0, Chambers excused).

Discussion Items

Opioid Settlement Funds Expenditure (File 260007)

The committee heard a detailed presentation from Health Commissioner Dr. Totoraitis, MFD Chief Lipski, and other officials on a comprehensive plan to invest opioid settlement funds over three years. Key points:

• The plan targets roughly $5.6 million for a “whole of government” approach covering prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery, while avoiding duplication with Milwaukee County’s larger investments.
• Focus areas include expanding the Milwaukee Overdose Response Initiative (MORI), the Scales Neighborhood Nursing Program, workforce development (e.g., credible clinicians), and harm reduction supplies.
• A collaborative work group has guided development; evaluation metrics and quarterly reporting to the Board of Health are planned.
• The Health Department aims to issue RFPs and subgrants by late summer, with a focus on making processes accessible to small community organizations.
• Ald. Chambers expressed concern about lack of prior communication and asked why the Department of Community Wellness & Safety (DCWS) was not included earlier; he abstained from the vote, urging that DCWS receive a financial role before full Council.
• Ald. Moore and Ald. Burgelis expressed support, with Burgelis noting the settlement is insufficient compared to industry harm.
• President Perez (sponsor) emphasized the need for community involvement in RFP selection and clear outcome metrics.

The resolution was recommended for adoption on a 4-0-1 vote (Chambers abstaining). Ald. Spiker, Burgelis, Moore, and Taylor added as co-sponsors.

Vehicular Street Takeovers (File 260024)

MPD Chief of Staff Heather Hough, Inspectors Sheronda Grant and Paul Lau, and DCWS representatives briefed the committee on the response to a series of street takeovers on April 25-26, 2026. Key details:

• Nine identified street takeovers generated 17 calls for service between 11 PM and 2:40 AM. During the same period, MPD officers were dispatched to 165 total calls citywide.
• Enforcement results: 2 vehicles towed, 1 arrest on scene (for reckless driving, operating while revoked, no ignition interlock; over $1,400 in fines), and 7 citations issued (2 for spectating, 1 for reckless driving, 4 others).
• MPD's Criminal Investigation Bureau arrested the alleged primary organizer (a non-Milwaukee resident) on a felony reckless endangerment charge; three other main actors are identified.
• Challenges: participants flee quickly, wear masks, and use social media to organize. MPD noted a communication gap between the Department of Emergency Communications and districts, which is being addressed to improve coordination.
• MPD is preparing for summer with dedicated “Summer Guardian” deployments starting in three weeks and urged residents to call 911 immediately and send videos to IFCMilwaukee.gov.
• DCWS representative Quinn Taylor said the department's role is prevention and post-event community support, not active intervention during takeovers. DCWS monitors social media to remove promoting content and shares intelligence with law enforcement.
• Several alders, including Perez, Taylor, Dmitrijevic, and Chambers, stressed the need for stronger deterrence, potential owner-liability citations, and inter-jurisdictional coordination.

The communication was held to the call of the chair on a 4-0-1 vote (Chambers excused).

Clinic Closure Prevention (File 251407, Reconsidered)

Ald. Coggs explained that the resolution formalizes a budget footnote tasking the Health Department and Department of Employee Relations to develop strategies preventing clinic closures due to staffing shortages. The Health Department expressed support. The resolution was recommended for adoption unanimously (5-0) after being held earlier for sponsor availability.

Key Outcomes

• Opioid Settlement Plan: Recommended for adoption (4-0-1) with a path to grant issuance by late summer. Ald. Chambers abstained but indicated he may support at Council if DCWS receives a funding role.
• Street Takeover Strategy: Held for continued monitoring; MPD committed to improving real-time coordination and pursuing felony charges against organizers. DCWS to support with prevention messaging.
• Grant Approvals: All routine grant resolutions were recommended for adoption, with two referred to the Finance & Personnel Committee (due back May 7, 2026).
• SOPs: Foot pursuit policy (new) held for document review; all other SOP changes placed on file.
• Next Steps: Committee will revisit the street takeover file as needed, and the Health Department will return with detailed RFP scopes. The foot pursuit memo will be supplied before the next meeting.