Public Safety and Health Committee Meeting Summary – May 21, 2026
Public Safety and Health Committee Meeting Summary – May 21, 2026
The Public Safety and Health Committee of the Milwaukee Common Council met on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at 9:06 AM in City Hall Room 301-B under Chair Ald. Scott Spiker. The meeting concluded at 11:54 AM. All five committee members (Spiker, Burgelis, Taylor, Moore, Chambers Jr.) were present. The agenda covered parking and traffic controls, grant acceptances, updates on the habitual parking violator ordinance, a report from the Safety and Civic Commission, the 4th of July citywide safety plan, police recruitment efforts, a proposed modification to MPD Use of Force policy (SOP 460), FPC annual policy review, SOP updates, and 911 call wait times. Several old files were also placed on file.
Consent Calendar
- File 260036 (Parking controls ordinance): Recommended for passage unanimously (5-0). Changes include removing no-parking restrictions near West State/Kilborn/Wells to free up parking for residents and businesses; implementing a 2-hour parking zone on East Corcoran Ave (7 a.m.–7 p.m. except Sundays); extending 25-minute meter parking on Sundays (8 a.m.–9 p.m.) on North Prospect Ave. All changes coordinated with local alders.
- File 260037 (Traffic controls ordinance): Recommended for passage unanimously (5-0). Proposes all-way stop signs at Orchard & 32nd, Chambers & Fratney, Burleigh & Fratney, Auer & Fratney; and removal of one-way traffic flow on N. 22nd St. between Highland and Juneau to support Milwaukee High School of the Arts dismissal plan. All coordinated with local alders.
- File 260071 (2026 WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Grant from WI DHS): Recommended for adoption unanimously (5-0). Annual grant of $110,000 for the WIC program.
- File 251855 (2025-2029 Lead Hazard Reduction & Healthy Homes Grant from HUD): Recommended for adoption and referred to Finance & Personnel Committee (due back 5/28/2026) unanimously (5-0). Four-year $7.7 million HUD grant to address lead hazard reduction in ~300 units (160 by Habitat for Humanity, remainder by Milwaukee Health Department). Includes healthy homes funds for smoke alarms, asthma prevention, etc. Grant starts now; a prior HUD grant is already two years in.
Discussion Items
- File 251583 – Habitual Parking Violators (HPV) ordinance update: DPW Parking Services Manager Peter Knox presented a status report. Since November 1, 2025, about $1 million in citations have been collected (20,000 citations). Breakdown: 2,190 tows (as of May 15, 2026) – 1,033 paid at tow lot, 916 set court dates. Proactive payments: 972 paid online, 465 over counter, ~700 via tax intercept. 28,000 warning letters sent; 531 people set up payment plans proactively. Tows concentrated in west-side districts (e.g., District 15, District 6). Committee questions about time-of-day towing and coordination with municipal court. Item held to call of chair (5-0).
- File 230676 – Safety and Civic Commission report: Chair Byron Marshall and members reported activities: distributed 5,000 voter engagement postcards, 500 backpacks for back-to-school, free Narcan and gun locks at events, child safety seat distribution, listening session on red-light cameras (51 attendees). Four subcommittees: civic/voter engagement, traffic/sanitation/litter, educational achievement, reducing demand for drugs/mental health. Commissioners noted many appointments are expired (some since 2019, 2020). Ald. Chambers expressed lack of awareness and coordination with other city efforts. Item held to call of chair (5-0) for future update.
- File 260081 – 4th of July citywide safety plan: Sponsored by Ald. Bauman. Presentations from MPD (Chief of Staff Heather Hough, Asst. Chief Steven Johnson), Summerfest (President/CEO Sarah Pancheri, Associate Security Director Wesam Yaghnam), and Office of Community Wellness & Safety (Jasmine Morton, Julien Phifer). Summerfest operates normally noon–midnight; fireworks show ~9:15-9:30 p.m. (20 minutes) supported by Harley-Davidson. Summerfest named a national “250 block party” by the nonpartisan Semiquincentennial Commission, one of five sites nationwide, but no new programming confirmed. MPD and partners will implement enhanced citywide staffing (overtime on holiday), collaboration with federal/state partners (including FBI and DHS intelligence sharing), but no “boots on the ground” from federal agencies confirmed. DCWS will deploy orange shirts, monitor parks (Washington, Lincoln, Humboldt), social media, and conduct public education. Item placed on file (5-0).
- File 240887 – Police recruiting update: FPC Director Leon Todd reported that applications meeting minimum qualifications increased from 1,291 (2024) to 1,804 (2025). As of May 19, 2026, 964 applicants; projected >2,000 for 2026. However, class sizes remain ~30-45 (target 65 per class). Big drop-off points: written test no-shows, physical readiness test (PRT) – especially for women (pass rate 15-30% vs 85% for men), and psychological evaluations. New initiatives: “Express Test” (1.5 hours, can be taken online/phone) starting June 2026; request to state LESB for alternative PRT; new psychological vendor (National Testing Network) with screen-out philosophy. MPD Chief of Staff Hough added details on marketing/communications team (three people – small for city size); a media producer position was filled to boost recruitment messaging. Committee held item to call of chair (5-0).
- File 251663 – SOP 460 Use of Force modification (sponsored by Ald. Burgelis): Proposed to restore a requirement that MPD officers document why they drew their weapon to effectuate an arrest – a requirement removed in 2024 (sunset from Sterling Brown agreement). FPC unanimously recommended adoption on May 7. MPD Chief of Staff Hough requested 30 days to meet and confer with unions to find a less burdensome reporting method (e.g., checkbox), citing administrative and supervisory review burden. MPA President Alex Ayala opposed the change, arguing that displaying a firearm is a common tool and reporting it would create detrimental records for promotions. FPC Commissioner Krissie Fung supported the change for transparency. After multiple motions (hold failed 2-3 and 2-2-1?; approval failed 1-3-1; reconsideration; finally placed on file 3-2: Ayes – Spiker, Moore, Chambers Jr.; Noes – Burgelis, Taylor). The item was effectively killed at committee.
- File 260038 – FPC 2025 Annual Policy Review: No changes recommended by FPC; item placed on file (5-0).
- File 260134 – FPC Standard Operating Procedures updates: Five routine/administrative changes (SOPs 263, 467, 475, 675, and chaplaincy instruction). Item placed on file (5-0).
- File 260025 – 911 Call Wait Times and Dispatch/Response Times: FPC presented quarterly reports for Q1 2026, Q3-Q4 2025. Performance exceeded targets: in Q1 2026, 99.3% of 911 calls answered within 15 seconds, 100% within 90 seconds; zero outlier calls (>3 minutes) for emergencies. Non-emergency outlier calls reduced to 91. All police and fire calls met 90% and 95% thresholds. Item placed on file (5-0).
Key Outcomes
- Parking and traffic control ordinances (Items 1-2) recommended for passage.
- WIC and Lead Hazard Reduction grants (Items 3-4) recommended for adoption (Item 4 referred to Finance & Personnel).
- Habitual Parking Violators update (Item 5) held to call of chair.
- Safety and Civic Commission report (Item 6) held to call of chair.
- 4th of July safety plan (Item 7) placed on file.
- Police recruiting update (Item 8) held to call of chair.
- SOP 460 Use of Force modification (Item 9) placed on file (3-2) after multiple failed motions; effectively defeated.
- FPC Annual Policy Review, SOP updates, 911 wait times (Items 10-12) placed on file.
- Old files 251063, 150648, 141884, 130208 (Items 13-16) placed on file as no longer necessary.
Meeting Transcript
To the Thursday, May 21st meeting of the Public Safety and Health Committee. It is 906. I'm Alderman Scott Spiker, Chair of the Committee, joined to my right by Vice Chair Alderman Bergelis, to his right by Alder Taylor. We'll be joined shortly by Alders Moore and Chambers. Also joined by Staff Assistant Joanna Ortiz. Item one file number 260036, an ordinance relating to parking controls. Good morning, Mr. Chair, members of the committee. Scott Reinbacher with the Department of Public Works. Today we have a few changes to the city's parking regulations. First, we are proposing to remove the no-parking any time restrictions on a few segments of West State Street, Kilborne, and Wells near North 27th Street to free up parking for residents and businesses. Second, we are proposing to implement a two-hour parking zone from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Except Sundays on East Corcoran Avenue from Jackson Street to Harbor Drive. New street that was recently built. Finally, we are proposing to extend the 25 minute meter parking zone on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Uh on North Prospect Avenue, just south of East North Avenue. So all of these changes were coordinated with the local Alders. Happy to answer any questions. Any questions? If not, Alder Bergelis would move to recommend passage and hearing no objections so ordered. Item two, file number two six zero zero three seven, an ordinance relating to traffic controls. Yes, we are proposing a few changes to the city's regulatory traffic controls. First, we are proposing to install all way stop signs at the intersections of Orchard and 32nd, Chambers and Fratney, Burleigh and Fratney, and Auer and Fratney. And also we are proposing to remove the one-way traffic flow uh condition on North 22nd Street between Highland and Juneau to support the Milwaukee High School of the Arts uh dismissal plan. So all of these have been coordinated with the local Alders. Happy to answer any questions. Questions from committee members? If not, Alder Taylor would move to recommend passage and hearing no objections to order. Thank you very much. Thank you. Item three, file number two six zero zero seven one, substitute resolution relative to acceptance and funding of 2026 women infants and children. Breastfeeding peer counseling grant from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Good morning. My name is Laurie Palmer, Deputy Commissioner of Family and Community Services at the Health Department. This is an annual grant award for breastfeeding peer console for our WIC program. Okay. 110,000. 110. Okay. There's more details in the file. Anyone have any questions? No. If not, Alder Moore is joined us to Alder Moore would recommend uh move that we recommend adoption. Um any objection? Then so ordered. Thank you, Chair. Thank you. Uh Alder Moore.
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