To the Friday, April 10th meeting of the Public Safety and Health Committee.

It is now 9 06.

We'll get started.

I'm Alderman Scott Spiker, Chair of the Committee, joined to my right by Alderman Bergell's Vice Chair, joined to his right by Alder Taylor, and joined to my far left by Alder Moore.

Alder Chambers will be joining us shortly.

Also joined by uh staff assistant join up for tees.

Um with that, we'll start with item one on the agenda, file number two five one nine nine zero and ordinance relating to parking controls.

Morning, Chair Committee members, Kevin Anzac, DPW.

Uh we have a few items here today for you.

Uh first involves South 9th Street, where there's a reconstruction project going on.

Uh we will be um supplying more parking to the neighbors.

Uh so basically on the east side of South 9th Street from Greenfield to National Avenue, we'll be removing a no parking restriction and also installing a street sweeping restriction in that area.

Secondly, on uh North 31st Street between Wisconsin Avenue and Well Street.

Uh residents have asked for the removal of the winter parking restriction and would be replaced with no parking at any time restriction.

Um next one is on the west side of North 45th Street from Juneau Avenue to a point 150 or 54 feet north at any time will be removed.

The restriction is no longer needed.

And lastly, is the um allowance of two-side night parking on South Lenox Street from East Conway Street to East Homer Street.

All these have been coordinated through local older persons, and if you have any questions, then any questions from committee members?

No.

Alder Bergellis has moved passage of the ordinance to recommend passage and hearing no objections, so ordered.

Item two, file number two five one nine nine one, substitute ordinance relating to traffic controls.

Kevin Anzac DPW again.

Uh just a few uh additional stop signs being uh recommended at this point.

First one is on West uh Dogwood Street at North 87th Street, second one on North Greenwood Terrace at North 87th Street, on Leon Terrace and at West Constance Avenue, on West Magnolia Street and at North 87th Street in westbound direction on West Tripoli Avenue at South First Street on South First Place at West Wilbur Avenue, and lastly on South First Street at West Wilbur Avenue.

Very good.

Okay.

Any questions?

If not, Alder Moore would move to recommend passage and hearing no objections, so ordered.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um item number three, file number two five two one zero one.

This is a substitute ordinance relating to time related food truck zones, uh says sponsored by Alderman Bauman.

I believe Alder Zammerita, you're also a sponsor.

Uh no, I'm actually very good.

Um so with that we'll kick it off to the sponsor, Alderman Bauman.

Yeah, thank you, Mr.

Chair, members of the committee.

Good morning, everyone.

Yes, this is uh this file is a direct response to some of the disorder that's already taken place uh in the Water Street Entertainment District and to a lesser degree, the King Drive Entertainment District, the former Old World Third Street area, uh basically in response to requests from MSOE who are here today.

Uh Milwaukee School of Engineering, which has a major presence uh in this area on the east side of the river, and in response to the concerns we've heard expressed by Milwaukee Police Department, uh we are taking some measured approaches to attempt to diminish the disorder that occurs on these weekend nights, especially when the weather is warm.

So this file basically amends the food truck prohibition from what is currently 1 a.m.

to a 10 p.m.

prohibition.

So no food trucks would be permitted anywhere in the anywhere in the zone, the down basically the downtown zone with a very small piece also in the 6th district and an even smaller piece in the third district, but the vast majority is 4th Aldermanic district.

And hopefully this will thwart some of the disorders, some of the loitering, some of the congregating, some of the tailgating that goes on in the evenings and especially late in the evenings near closing time for these bars.

So that's uh so that's the file.

Very good.

And have you had the opportunity to speak with the Alder of the 6th and the third?

We mentioned this to them.

Okay.

Um with that, uh, do you have anybody you want to bring to the table?

The police department, anybody.

Mr.

Chair, whenever I can speak as well.

Yep.

Uh yeah, that's why I was checking for co-sponsorship.

But if you'd like to speak now uh before, is there anything you'd like to cue up?

Yes, please, Mr.

Chair, thank you.

Um I do want to thank Bob for Alderman Bauman for reaching out to me on this file.

This does affect um time limited food truck zones.

Um in Burnham in the Burnham Park neighborhood, as you know, we do have a both a time-limited food truck zone and a density um limited food truck zone um on Burnham.

And so this would affect um the food truck zone in the eighth Aldermanic district.

I did work with Bob and um and do some negotiating, and so although the downtown zone that he speaks to um will close at 10 p.m.

Per this file, the Burnham food truck zone will now close at 11 p.m.

So a little bit later um in hopes that that could be a little bit easier pill to swallow for the food truck operators.

Um I have reached out to all of the food truck operators who have a reserve spot in the food truck zone on Burnham.

Um I do see at least one operator um in the audience here today.

I assume they would want to provide testimony if you would allow it, Mr.

Chair.

Um but I did let them let them all know.

I've spoken with one of them personally, and I also um do have several neighbors um who are who are in support of the measure, although you might have some opposing view today.

I see with uh one operator in the audience.

And am I correct that you're in support of this file or that's correct?

I appreciate Bob working with me.

Um I did think 10 p.m.

was a bit early for my district.

Um but it's similar in that it's now going to close at 11 p.m.

Um as opposed to 1 a.m.

currently.

Okay, very good.

Uh MSOE, would you please introduce yourself and state your case?

Sure.

Kendall Brunig, I'm an alumni of MSUE and I'm on the board of regents.

Uh I also own a property half a block away at the Blatts office complex.

So this this affects me and MSUE in a lot of ways.

MSUE has about 2900 students, and we have about 300 students that live on Water Street at the corner of Water and Juneau.

Uh so far there hasn't been anyone injured from MSOE, but it the rate things are going, that's just a matter of time.

Um the the recent shooting, there was four food trucks in the 1200 block of North Broadway.

Last night uh I drove past there by 4 p.m.

There was already three food trucks parked there.

Now the the food trucks are not the problem.

It's the crowds that gather around them, and especially later at night, these the the crowds do not patronize the the restaurants.

They're there to hang out and then and I I don't know if if the streets being open or closed is better or worse.

That's a different situation.

I know the last shooting the streets were open when it occurred.

So uh the food trucks draw the crowd.

The other thing is um the uh you know Amosui has on the first floor, we have two restaurants.

We have a new sushi bay that just opened, and we have Qdoba.

Um I don't know if anybody is gonna be here to represent them, but I you know this affects them.

Uh if you have a business and you're paying um thirty thousand, sixty thousand dollars a year in property taxes, and there's nothing stopping a food truck from parking in front of your business.

That's not really fair.

I know that it's there's not a law against it, but I think the ordinances should take that into account.

And um let's stay focused on the present ordinance, just what's before us, please.

Okay.

Uh well, my point of that is that I think that the ordinance right now is a good intermediate step.

I think the long-term solution is to tie the locations that food trucks are allowed at to uh licensed food dealers and have a distance from it.

There are other municipalities that have laws like that in other states, so that wouldn't be unreasonable.

Um, on that point, we're uh yeah, fine, but let's be brief on it because that is an entirely separate issue.

That's a whole lot of the other.

If we looked at that as an option, yeah, but we thought that would be very hard to enforce.

You have the MPD would have to be out there with tape measures.

Basically measuring where food trucks start and end.

And so this this is a pretty bright line test.

It should be very easy for MPD to enforce this prohibition.

Uh the map is pretty clear to the logical, and uh if if MPD sees a food truck parked there at uh 1030, that it's a very clear violation.

And so they can either be ticketed or asked to leave.

Yep, very good.

So are you speaking for MSOE or just yourself?

For MSUE.

Okay, that's a very good region.

Uh the president wanted to be here, but he has a commitment till 9 45, so I don't think you'll be able to speak here for this.

Okay, very good.

Thank you for your testimony.

Um members, do we have any questions that would require other folks to the table or questions in general?

Alder Brighells.

Thank you.

Uh and this question is more for the sponsors.

Uh this own this ordinance change only affects food trucks that are in the public right-of-way or on state property.

That's correct.

So if uh I own a food truck and I park it on my uh apron or in my driveway or on my private parcel, I can operate however I want to.

Consistent with the zoning code.

In terms of whether a peddler activity on private property would be permitted.

Occupancy for that.

Fair enough.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um other questions?

Is there anybody else in the audience who wants to um testify on this briefly?

If not, uh yeah.

Uh Chief Assembly Puff, do you want to briefly say a word?

Mr.

Chair, I just wanted to note I you may have missed one of the operators in the back stood up.

Okay.

He can come to the table too.

Or she.

Oh, there, way back there.

See, you don't see obviously.

Um Ms.

Huff.

Yes, thank you.

Heather Huff, Chief of Staff, Milwaukee Police Department.

For these uh food truck zones.

Uh we know last year um and this year we have issues with people congregating around the food trucks that are not patrons.

Um we have individuals in these areas uh the age range of uh below 21 years of age, um, who utilize these open spaces and places um to uh congregate and that has caused us problems in the past.

We'll be talking more about it in the next file, but just wanted to get on the record that MPD is supportive from a community safety perspective.

Okay, very good.

Um and that uh would you please introduce yourself?

Yeah, hi, good morning.

My name is Jennifer, and I am a little bit.

Could you state your first and last name, please?

Yeah.

Uh Jennifer Anthony's Martinez.

I am one of the owners in the type two um uh flu truck zone.

Okay, and your testimony?

Uh well, I just can't because I received this email on Tuesday.

I just wanted to uh mention about crime basically in the two-type zone.

We've never had any crime that I know of, never have seen any presence of police in the area.

I do uh and accept uh that there is a lot of trash in the area.

I try to put my part, but we are several trucks, and I can't uh speak for them, even though I always try to put on my part.

I in my opinion, I just want to ask if if there's any possibility that even an hour can be increased.

Uh in my situation, I have already had um to unemploy one person, and in this case I would have to unemploy one more person on their job.

So that's your testimony.

You're not in favor of the legislation as currently crafted for those reasons.

Uh uh yes.

Yeah, okay.

Thank you for your testimony.

Um any questions from committee members?

Mr.

Church.

Alder Chambers.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I don't have a question for her.

I have a question for the reference M SOE.

Okay.

Um thank you.

So thank you for coming back up here, uh Mr.

Berger.

So um I I guess I'm a little perplexed.

Um I was against the the move that they were making when this uh legislation came far as um reducing the time limit for you know food trucks for those who come down, um and you know, patronized uh the entertainment district.

Um I voice my concerns when the food truck res uh the food truck uh legislation was created and put a onus to like the bar owners and things of that nature.

So the reason why I actually come up here and thank you again is you know you have a fenced in um parking lot that's right on Water Street right in front of water in is it uh Kilborne or Juno or something?

Yeah, right.

Yeah, June.

Okay, right.

Um during those hours, during those nighttime hours, that is pretty empty.

Correct.

Um have the thoughts or talks that have been in there to allow like the food truck to be in there to fit in to control um those that come in and those that come out in order to you know alleviate some of the stress that goes on to the entertainment district.

For our end, it's easier to control what happens by not letting people into that lot.

It once we let people into the lot, we wouldn't have much control over what happens after that.

What do you mean by that?

Uh well it's fenced in right now, right?

So we it's rented for parking during the day, but uh at that time we don't we close it so that uh the crowds can't gather in there.

And actually the fence is not an MSV fence, it's actually a city fence that was put up for crowd control.

Right.

So we're trying to control the crowd, and you have this you know parking structure.

I'm just thinking outside of the box here.

Um, you know, you have public safety, you have you know school public safety, and we also have police there within co-red.

If there's something that we can possibly partner with you having police or public safety at the entrances to allow those who are actually coming for food at the postal congregating to go through there during those hours between 10 and 1 or whatever.

I guess I'm trying to figure out what is the reservation or what's the hesitation of allowing that to use the uh parking if you're not using it at night anyways.

Uh let's hang on one second.

Is DNS in the audience?

Because the occupancy you can't just set up a food truck zone anywhere, a private parking lot is for parking if there's an accessory use.

But it's still within the so I'm just asking if DNS is in the audience, they could clarify this because it might not be allowable if they're not going to be able to do that.

Yeah, Mr.

Chair, on this if I may, on this point, yeah, briefly on that point, and then let's get Alder Chambers to answer to the question.

Is a great corporate citizen in Milwaukee.

They've done a lot of outstanding development downtown.

They have a lot of students and faculty and staff downtown.

And to put the burden on them that somehow they have to assume the responsibility to entertain people that want to hang out on Water Street is absurd.

Okay they don't ensure for that.

So why are we fencing?

Some are triple their security forces.

So while we fencing the city, gentlemen, while we fit in the Mr.

Alderman Chambers.

Uh, you asked the question for the audience.

I did not want this back and forth, so we're gonna halt that right now.

Um can you give a direct answer to Alderman Chambers questions concerning?

I haven't consulted with the rest of the border regions, but I think that we would oppose doing that.

The it's it would further the problem, in my opinion.

Uh I think these crowds are not patronizing the local establishments.

And by cre you know, there may be another place where a food truck park could be created, similar to on the south side, but that's not something that we're interested in doing.

Okay, I respect that.

So why are we fencing why are we fencing the private parking lot?

I guess that's a DNS question as well, Mr.

Chair.

DNS can tell whether it's allowable, whether the next file because the next file is a broader discussion of what MPD is doing relative to public safety in these entertainment districts, and the fencing is part and parcel of that, and I believe MPD requested that the fencing be put up.

Yeah, I guess I guess where I'm at with this, I guess what I'm at with this, and sorry to put you to the fire so it's not necessarily towards you, is that you know, the the issues that we're going to face is you know, a number uh a good amount of officers that come from our neighborhoods go down to downtown every weekend to protect the entertainment district every weekend about 10 to 15 at minimum.

Those are resources that's going away from our neighborhood.

If we restrict those opportunities for them to go get food or anything, guess where they're coming back into our neighborhoods where those officers are going.

So I I guess I'm just trying to figure out how we're going to balance the two.

And that is right now I don't see it.

So I mean, in respect to his district and his decision, he has every right to do that.

Um, you know, I'm not pushing back on that.

I just trying to figure out what type of solutions that we can do to meet in the middle.

And I don't think this is one of them.

So Alder Bauman's correct that that's the broader discussion that would involve MPD.

We can save it for the next file, which will be in a couple minutes.

Um so with that, are there any other questions from committee members?

Then do I have a motion relating to the file?

Move passage.

Alder Bergellus would move passage.

Are there any objections?

I'll check.

Uh one objection noted from Alderman Chambers.

Any other discussion?

Then the resolution passes or the ordinance passes on uh four to one vote.

Uh thank you very much.

Uh moving on now to the communication file relating to some of this.

Item number four, file number two five two zero six seven communication from the Milwaukee Police Department relating to their plan to maintain public safety in the King Drive and Water Street Entertainment Districts during the spring and summer of 2026.

This is also sponsored by Alderman Bauman, so to whom we will turn to cue things up.

Alderman Bauman.

Yeah, I'll just turn it over to MPD at this point.

Obviously, we've had some incidents of disorder, including some shootings in the Water Street Entertainment District.

As soon as the weather turns 70 degrees, it appears the guns come out, then the loiter is come out and all the chaos is triggered.

And that's just been a few 70 degree nights.

So I'm trying to get ahead of this as much as possible, so we're not here mourning the homicides of various people rather than trying to get ahead of it by seeing what what is the plan, uh, what are the resources that are going to be devoted, how do we protect resources in the neighborhoods because all of them chambers has a legitimate point when we're flooding downtown with MPD personnel, they come from somewhere.

And that somewhere can very well be my west side neighborhoods, his northwest side neighborhoods, and our neighborhoods of everybody on this council.

So that is a very legitimate issue to be to be watchful for.

Because it appears that scooters, I've had anecdotal reports from business owners, including the Milwaukee Symphony, that the scooters provide a very excellent form of mobile transportation.

Uh they're cheap to use, and people running around on scooters can quickly move from the Third Street food market to water in Juneau to Highland and King Drive.

And and so the next thing, please speak to the issue of scooters and whether you would be in support of a 10 p.m.

scooter ban in the entire downtown district.

Uh very good.

With that, we'll kick kick it off to MPD if you wouldn't wouldn't mind introducing everyone at the table.

Um good morning, committee.

Heather Hoff, Chief of Staff again, MPD.

I'm joined by leadership in the Patrol Bureau and the Criminal Investigation Bureau, uh, who will introduce themselves shortly.

I just wanted to say a couple of things before we get started.

One, I want to acknowledge we have uh large police presence in the room.

These are our captains, our leadership.

Um recently, we believe it's very important for them to see uh the council process because we all work together, and so we have tasked our captains with coming and observing these processes.

So if you're wondering why there's a large presence here, they are um here to see uh how the council works uh firsthand.

Um second, I want to say on behalf of the department, the MPD's responsibility is not just the entertainment district downtown.

We recognize the priority for the department is public safety for the entire city.

And so while we're going to be talking about certain deployments and strategies for the downtown area, please know that these types of strategies uh um exist for all kinds of problems citywide, uh depending on the district, depending on what the issues are, and wherever there's a need for additional resources, they will be deployed.

Um, so just wanted to put that out there to assure not just this committee but the public that we don't solely focus on the downtown entertainment district.

We recognize this is a very large city, and while there were some incidents downtown, there were many others citywide that are still the same on equal footing uh priorities for the department.

And with that, I will turn it over to Inspector Grant and uh Inspector Lau to talk about our strategies to talk about our clearances of some of the um issues downtown and to talk about some of the problems we've had and seen in terms of those clearances.

Okay, and let's just make sure we address the sponsors' questions at some point during the discussion.

Yes.

All right, good morning, everybody.

Sharonda Grant Inspector of Police Patrol Bureau.

And so thank you all very much for allowing us to be president to speak to you all this morning.

Uh I want to just uh talk about some things that Heather also referred to.

As it relates to violent crime in the city of Milwaukee, I'm pleased to share that our part one crime, which includes a little closer if you could.

Sure.

Thank you.

I want to indicate that I'm pleased to share that our part one crime, which includes homicides, non-fatal shootings, robberies, carjackings, batteries, motor vehicle thefts, etc., have seen a significant decline this year compared to the same year last year as it relates to our crime trends.

And so for the decrease.

I would like to give a special thank you to all of the men and women of the Milwaukee Police Department who risk their lives each day to uh to keep our community safe.

I also want to make sure that I thank our uh partners, our CBI partners, uh 414 Life, the Department of Community Wellness and Safety, and a variety of other partners who also assist in quelling the violence that takes place in the city of Milwaukee.

Now Water Street is very important, but so is Mitchell Street.

So it's Burleigh, so it's Brown Deer Road, so is Capitol.

And so our officers are tasked with assisting and serving the residents throughout the city of Milwaukee.

Although Water Street is extremely important, we cannot deploy all of our resources to that location.

We have to be strategic, we have to be mindful, knowing that all residents, regardless of their economic status, regardless of their race, ethnicity, etc., they need services too.

Alright.

So the shooting that took place on Water Street March 22nd, and it took place at about one o'clock in the morning, and it involved individual, one individual who had a few with others.

And they decided to have that discussion at that location, at which time one individual shot three people, killing one.

Alright, and I want to pass it on to Inspector Lau to provide additional information regarding that.

And after that, then I'll go back into our deployments for Water Street.

Thank you, Inspector Paul.

I'll be very brief on that incident.

There was three people shot.

We did take a suspect into custody, and while I understand the loitering and all that is an issue down on Water Street.

Who's charged with this?

Probably shouldn't have been out because he was committed several felonies and put on probation just four days later for phonies that committed while he was incarcerated, I believe, up in Lincoln Hills.

So that's something right there that not saying that we're alleviating blame from us, but it's we we can't own all that.

Those guys probably should not have been out.

He should not have had a gun and he was down there, and unfortunately, one uh young man died, and three others or two others were shot.

Uh is there any other ones you want me to speak on right now?

No, that's it.

And then also it should be noted that three of the four individuals that were involved, three of those individuals were on probation and parole.

Now uh and being completely transparent, three of the four individuals that were involved in this incident, three of those individuals were under the age of 21.

All right, and that's just for transparenting purposes because I want to make sure that you guys know that we're not holding anything back, we're being forthright and truthful.

As it relates to the incident that took place on March 22nd, that night, Code Red, uh we had 26 officers that were in deployment throughout the Cold Red Entertainment District, which consists of four different zones downtown.

And that was an increase from the nine officers that we initially had uh that were going to be deployed at that location.

We increased the number of officers because we knew that warm weather brings out more individuals, and we wanted to make sure that we provided as much safety as we possibly could.

Now I know that may some of you may be thinking that we pull resources from other districts.

No, we we did not.

The individuals that were assigned to this deployment operation were on overtime using Code Red Funds, but then also the officers that were assigned to District One.

District one's second shift, the hours between 4 p.m.

and midnight, those officers, their shift was extended based upon the fact that district one that night was extremely busy.

Those officers did not get off work until about 2 30, 3 30 in the morning, just based upon all of the uh issues that were taking place.

All right, so that night, and this is just a very brief synopsis regarding gun-related calls in the downtown area, there was a call for shots fired, which took place uh in the in the downtown area, which officers were uh removed from their locations to investigate that.

And there was an arm an armed robbery that took place in the area of Juneau and Water, where an individual pistol whipped a subject uh and removed his property from him.

Officers uh pursued that individual on foot, took him into custody, and also recovered the gun.

So thank you very much for our officers for being at that location at that time on Water Street.

And then there was the unfortunate triple shooting/slash homicide that took place uh not too much longer afterwards.

So as it relates to our strategies, we will continue to work with our downtown businesses, the the security that work uh that bounce and work in these establishments and bars.

When they see individuals who are loitering, uh they can provide us with the information and we will do the best that we can to either uh disperse those individuals, warn them, and if they refuse to leave site and at the very least uh last resort, make the arrest of those individuals because we know that when we remove officers from uh the the deployment areas, it creates an opportunity for more issues to take place.

Last year we worked in partnership with the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office, which I am very appreciative of that partnership and that relationship with our uh other law enforcement partners, and we will continue this year as well.

We worked hand in hand with the Department of Wellness Community Safety and Wellness, uh, 414 Life, along with a variety of our other CBI teams.

And so the strategies that we utilized uh after uh in July had to do a lot with the strategies that we utilize for Juneteenth.

So we know that our officers, we can only do so much, but when we have boots on the ground, individuals who are playing clothes, individuals who have lived experiences, and individuals who are able to disperse crowds of people, such as our community partners, um that works, and they can provide us information.

Hey, this group over here, they need to go.

We told them we can move in and make that disbursement.

So our plan is to elevate that plan that we had last year when I was brought here uh for that communication file, but that's only as needed because we do not want to remove other officers from other districts because the entire city needs to be safe.

Very good.

Uh Alder Bauman, would you like to do any follow-up?

Did your questions get answered?

What what are we heard a TV report uh from the first district captain who I understand is in Nashville inspecting their entertainment zone protocols?

And so he's not here, which is fine.

Glad to glad to see him traveling to other cities to inspect what they're doing.

What are we doing about curfew issues?

I mean, there was some uh they have floated about a curfew holding center that people who were found in violation of curfew in the entertainment districts would be transported somewhere and then held until picked up by their parents or guardians, and I thought how can that happen?

Sure.

Wouldn't that take a lot of people out of a lot of police out of service?

Transported how in in patrol cars and vans and and what's the authority to put people hold people if they're not because he does the question was asked, well, are they under arrest?

And he and the answer was no.

Well, I said, Well, and what's the authority to hold them if they're not under arrest?

Sure, I can speak to that, Alderman Bauman.

Um, so one of the ideas for dealing with those violating curfew and those are under 17.

So know that there are two uh problematic populations congregating downtown, it's the 18 to 21, and then the 17 below.

Um, one of the issues is when we are enforcing curfew downtown, and we have an individual who's a minor um who is violating curfew, those officers from downtown then have to stay with that person until we are able to get a hold of a parent or a guardian to come pick them up from the location, and it takes those officers offline for a significant can amount of time not being able to patrol the downtown area.

So one of the ways we thought a solution would be to this issue was working with the Department of Community Wellness and Safety, um, where we would identify a minor who is breaking curfew, we would transport them to that facility, there would be uh dedicated officers, not many, there to wait until a parent would be able to pick up that minor, and then uh community wellness and safety would offer resources and individuals um to provide activities or resources to those youth while they were waiting, awaiting pickup.

Um so really for us, we weren't the lead on organizing what the curfew center would be.

We just felt it was uh something that would alleviate our resources and also do something positive for those breaking curfew in providing them this uh centralized location for pickup um and then also um resources, and I would say community wellness and safety can speak more to the plan for the curfew center.

I think that the model that was envisioned has changed over time, and that um is really within that department's uh wheelhouse to speak more to what it looks like, what the status is at this point.

And our legal authority to detain transport and then hold someone until their parents arrive or guardians is what Alderman Bauman, can you pull the mic closer?

They're having trouble hearing you is that what that means.

Um Inspector Grant, how do we normally handle curfew with detaining?

They're under 17.

Yeah.

Yes, it it it all depends.

Uh as it relates to if an officer is to take a young person into custody for a curfew violation, that young person would generally speak go to a district to be processed, and then we would wait for that parent to arrive if we're not or we would uh try to drop that uh young person off at that parent or guardian's residence.

And so if you have 200 juveniles under the age of 17 loitering around Water Street, you're calling 200 people back to the district or delivering them to their parents' home.

That's what if we were to enforce curfew, where we would to, as your example uh was explained, uh taking into custody three hundred or two hundred individuals that that removes uh several officers from deployment.

Yes.

So as a practical matter, I think it's apparent to almost anyone in this room and anyone watching on TV that enforcing curfew is a lot harder than it sounds, if not impossible when you're dealing with large numbers.

Is that a fair statement?

Yes, sir.

That is a fair statement.

Thank you.

Alder Chambers, you had questions.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um Inspector Grant, you brought up uh an event um that happened and uh the manpower that went from nine to twenty-six.

You were saying some was from on extended OT from District One, and people signed up for OT from various districts.

Were there other districts busy as well?

So uh yes, sir.

However, when it comes to the code red overtime, that's voluntary.

So those officers are off work already, and so those officers um so say for in they can get a text message, a phone call from another start from a sergeant from district one asking them if they wanted to come and work the overtime.

So it's not mandatory.

Uh and if say for instance there was an overtime opportunity at that district, that officer has the choice whether or not he or she wants to work overtime at that district if there's an opportunity, or if they want to work overtime down at Cobra.

I mean, who was I mean from what I've been hearing from officers code red is easy, it's easy money.

Um, you know, that's why a lot of people sign up for it.

So I guess you know, what type of parameters we put in place to I guess have a cutoff list um for you know core red and whatever overflow going back into the districts.

I mean they signed up for overtime.

I guess you know um my issues with co-red have been well documented on this in this council.

Um, you know, because I just think it's taking away resources from my neighborhoods who need it, and our those businesses and other places in our red in our in our neighborhoods are taking bigger hits than the ones downtown.

Plain and simple.

And and I guess where I'm trying to figure out is how do we find that balance?

And I still have not heard anything with this.

So I'm I'm seeing these communication files, I'm hearing these communication files, and all I'm thinking about and seeing is more resources going away from our districts to come downtown to protect downtown.

And then we're gonna ask OCWS or DCWS to come and pull their resources from the communities that they serve to come downtown.

I have a problem with that.

Mr.

Chair.

I'm not getting the cue.

Oh, thank you.

Sorry.

Um, so I I'll just I'll just leave it at that.

Um I'll let you go.

Thank you.

Uh we actually have a cue going.

So um I'll put Aldermore after Taylor and Burgells, who also asked.

Um, just clearly, I thought you said the code red, and I thought this came out in the communication file last year was um the extra staffing you had, so you know normally have nine, you had 26.

That extra staffing comes from people volunteering for overtime, not being mandated.

Yes, sir.

And is that um uh a nicety we uh supply our staff, or is it contract mandated that we have to ask could you repeat that question one more time, Alderman?

Can we volunteer somebody to you're gonna do overtime?

Is that contractually allowed?

The violent part was when the officers from district one that work from 4 p.m.

to midnight were extended.

Okay, so that is the violent toll part, and that's based upon the busyness of the uh of the district at that at uh on the March 22nd.

Uh as it relates to And real quick, that is not limited to district one.

So that happens oftentimes across the city, depending on what's going on, where uh these shifts are extended, um, and officers are requested to stay extra hours.

But as far as bringing in bodies who were not going to work that night, that's are we contractually obliged to ask as opposed to tell folks?

We ask, we asked the officers.

So that's the same.

I'm asking if it's contractually required that we have well we we have to ask them, so in order for them to work.

Right, but they don't have to show up.

Correct.

And is there not having to show up a matter of contractual obligation?

No.

Okay.

So we could, in theory, volunteel people who are not scheduled to work that night to come in.

I'm not suggesting we do.

I'm just wondering if it's legally allowed.

Okay.

Yes.

Point of order on that, uh, there's no point of order on that.

Um that's information.

Uh if you want a follow-up question, you can ask that, sure.

Yeah, that's what I was going on.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Um, to that point, um, Otterman Spiker brings up a a great um uh a great point.

That incident this past weekend in my district um at Fremos, and um, you know, there were squads that were pulled from District Three, District Five, and District Four.

All pulling from different resources from within this.

I know that's happened quite often.

I'm just bringing like far as like the resource that we're putting, they could be protecting their neighborhoods within their respective districts, moving back and forth far as that.

So that's where I'm getting at with that.

So thank you.

Yes, sir.

Can I make it one point?

Sure, quickly follow up, and then we have to get to Alder Taylor.

Okay.

Um we what we our patch says the Milwaukee Police Department.

So we serve the entire city of uh of Milwaukee.

Uh and as it relates to scooters, sir, uh, we are in support of any uh assistance as relates to reducing individuals from coming down to down uh uh downtown neighborhoods to create issues.

So if the individuals are driving, uh we don't want them there if they're uh on scooters and they're in in their closet issues, we don't want them there either.

So we are in support of any assistance that we can receive.

We introduced uh the cycle for hearing next cycle.

Um speaking of transportation uh the Alder Bauman, we have a cue, so we have to be respectful of of members' opportunity to ask questions.

Um so Alder Taylor.

Thank you very thank you very much.

Um chairperson, uh so as I sit here and listen to what's being said, it sounds like we are trying to reroute those that are under 21, because I've heard that several times now, um, and seventeen and below from downtown to wherever we can get them.

Um it's it's also um looking at the last file where food trucks are being closed at 10.

Now I'm gonna say this too because I'm not a fan of being thing being open past 10 o'clock.

Um so um so seeing that um I I understand that 10 o'clock is is a good cutoff, right?

I I really believe that for neighborhoods that nothing past ten or eleven, right?

Because then things seem to go downhill from there.

However, though, there is a school MSOE is here, and they talked about crowds, and so we often talk about our under 21 and what are they gonna do because they're getting into trouble, but what do we do to be part of the solution?

So Alderman Chambers mentioned something about being part of a solution, like maybe just controlling them as they go in and out of a gate.

That was shut down.

Okay.

But we spend a lot of time on security in the neighborhoods.

Every bar um that potentially opens or is open in the neighborhoods.

My first question is what do you do for security?

You know, how do you secure it so that they can come in, have fun, go home safely.

When we talk about downtown, we're utilizing a lot of our resources from MPD because you just said you went from what was normally nine to twenty six.

So I know I took a long time to get to this question now.

Have you encountered any of these f establishments?

Um I have two questions now.

Uh hiring security firms that you as police officers can work along with so to lessen the amount of resources from our police department having to be downtown, having to go from nine to twenty-six.

Sure.

Uh so Captain Teal, I know, works with all the businesses in the downtown area, and the bid does fund um security, um uh different types of individuals downtown to monitor different types of situations.

Uh the captain of the downtown district does work hand in hand with those individuals, and it's in constant communication about what goes on there.

The issue is that the security um that private businesses um hire it's limited to those private businesses and they can't patrol the streets or the public areas.

And so one of our I mean our biggest issue is controlling the individuals that are downtown in those public spaces, which is ours to own, um, and identifying all the different ways we can manage those crowds.

What we're seeing is businesses can have wands to warn people for weapons, they have machines to ensure people are over 21 when they're in the businesses, but in those public areas, those uh safety measures don't exist, and that is problematic for us.

So even though we do coordinate our efforts with those different security companies that are providing that private security for those businesses, in those public spaces is where the challenges lie.

And so when we have people congregating there who haven't been wanted, who may be under 21 and uh may have alcohol in their vehicles that were not aware of at the time, um, bad things can uh and have occurred.

Okay.

So are you saying is um so yes, there are security firms that are down there, um, but they're limited, and that is why I um your title again.

Sorry.

Oh, inspector grant.

Inspector Grant mentioned um that it they're working in conjunction with different entities through OCWS because then they're there to support you as well.

I guess I'm just looking at we're putting a lot of stress and strain on our resource, um, and and it's constantly increasing.

Um, and then we are you know, sort of pushing our young people out.

And I I'm not advocating for them to be out all hours of the night.

I do think that we do need to have that curfew in place.

Um and again, like I said, things should not be open past 10 o'clock, 11 o'clock at the latest, because things go downhill.

Um, but I'm just looking at how do we relieve some of that stress off of a resource that's so important to the entire city because we have to pour so much of that energy into our downtown area.

I think that we're not really focused on the solution because we just keep looking at this problem, and so we really need to focus on a solution of what to do with our young people that are under 21, because that seems to be one of the focuses because you mentioned it several times that these individuals are under 21 or 17 and below, and then we're constantly pouring our resources.

So we need a solution.

Agree.

Agree, and um, we are asking for all the help we can get from businesses, community organizations, faith-based places, the council um help find productive things for young ones to do in the city.

Right.

Yes, ma'am.

Are you concluded elder till I yield for a moment?

Yes.

Okay, yep, and we can always come back to folks.

Um so with that we'll go.

Oh, is I know Alder Chambers had mentioned in a press release uh things relating to the parents.

Are there any discussions relating to that?

Um I know there's an ordinance on the books that actually I don't think has produced a case recently of parental responsibility.

I checked with Muni Court.

I don't I think there was one case that was before the court and it was dismissed.

So is that a matter that the police department considers, discusses?

Um sure.

So uh part and parcel with the curfew ordinance, there is a um parental ordinance if your child breaks curfew, and there's a number of different factors in that ordinance to meet.

Um one, you know, the parent has to have some type of uh knowledge or or there's a multitude of factors that have to be met in order for those to work, and to be honest, in those situations where curfew is being enforced, and particularly downtown, the time it would take then to hold the parent liable in that moment and gathering all the information on that end once an individual is transported, is a challenge of resources.

So I know Lance.

Correct calling people out of there that that would take such a tremendous amount of resources that wouldn't be worth it.

Is that the response?

Well, it's worth it, but correct, it does it's a balance of resources.

That's practical to do.

Um briefly, present person, then we go to all over the lines.

So um what kind of traction do you have on this curfew?

I mean, it sounds like people have been thinking about it.

Is it have you put pencil to paper?

Have you I mean, how far along is this idea about curfew and taking people or young people to some location?

Because it sounds like a different form of tabs to me.

And um, except that it instead of it being true and see from school, it's like curfew.

So I'm wondering how far along is this initiative.

I would defer to the Department of Community and Wellness Safety on that because I know they are the um the the primary planners on the facility and and the pieces um for the curfew center that they're envisioning.

Okay.

So you but you're the police department is involved in some way, shape, or form.

So you don't know how at what stages is that, or is this real?

There's a conversation.

What I mean.

Because you talked about engaging I'm not sure who you engage from the council, but it's I'm curious to know how you're engaging the council on this initiative.

So we've been in contact with the Department of Community Safety and Wellness regarding what a the the beginning plans the prior the preliminary plans of what a building would look like and they would have to speak as far as what it looks uh what the building is I believe the it could be a possibility uh for a location that's uh located at 32nd in Brown perhaps however we're still at the very beginning stages now of course we have officers that can um take these young people into custody if they are violating curfew uh like I mentioned before it does take officers offline uh and our goal we really don't want to have to write these citations to kids because we know that that could be that could be detrimental to their future as well but we want to have some type of a space where we can take these young people to a location where there are adults that are there that are trusted verified etcetera and like you said it would be a reversal on the TAPS program where you have an officer perhaps that um uh may be there throughout the duration uh but this is still in the very uh preliminary stages okay so just to be clear the officer community one should should be briefing council and figure out how we how we can engage can you repeat that sir the Office of Community Wellness or Department of Community Wells should be connecting with the council to figure out how we get engaged in this process with deciding this initiative or helping make this initiative a reality I would say that uh MPD the Department of Community Safety and Wellness all of us should be involved in that discussion with the council regarding uh what the next steps look like and how we can support one another's efforts.

Okay.

I just want to know how far along we are that's all yes sir brighters thank you um Mr.

Chair and and if you would indulge me for four questions um last year there was a a very tragic incident uh where a vehicle uh struck through broke through a uh two by four barricade uh that was blocking and protecting people on the street um the department has since invested in mobile barricades uh we uh saw that they were deployed and then soon after that they were pushed to the side left on the curb or in the terrace uh or in the parking lot and not installed because it was a burden to do so because it took about 60 minutes to install them the manufacturer's website says it takes 10 minutes to install them are those mobile barriers installed every day that code red is in place so first and foremost uh Otterman thank you very much for bringing that to my attention because that was something that I was not aware of so uh I will discuss in this committee previously okay so that's a discussion that I will have with um Captain Teal uh regarding but uh the plan is we purchased those media uh barriers so that we could have the out optimum protection of the individuals who frequent the downtown uh on water street area and so the plan is to utilize those every uh night that every weekend night of course we're not going to utilize them on a Wednesday or Thursday but when code red is activated officers are deployed for uh those operations those meridian barriers should also be activated as well and to be clear I want to clarify the incident that happened in March our full code red deployment wasn't in place at that time we had additional resources there but the streets were not closed down yet um that is slated to occur I think in the the weekend ahead um which is the normal course based upon the weather um well the street was closed because there was an orange two by four barrier oh I I mean this year shoot the so I just wanted to clarify this year so far we have not put up the Meridian barriers last year um we did not have them in the area where that tragedy occurred okay um so officers have the option to uh take voluntary overtime to work code red um is the street takeover task force also staffed with voluntary overtime well thank you very much for discussing street to takeovers because that is also problematic from time to time in the city of Milwaukee not just on the north side not just um on the south side but throughout the entire city and so the deployment strategy regarding the street takeovers is that there are two officers assigned from each district to assist in case there is an incident uh that takes place in the in um on any street in Milwaukee uh and that is governed and supervised by a sergeant and so if there is a a large amount of vehicles that are drag racing and engaging in these types of events and if we are aware of that that sergeant along with those two officers from each district if it's if they are needed uh will go and disperse those crowds that's not that's not voluntary overtime that's just a regular that's a regular yes sir it's a regular all right um so the extra overtime in code red does not subtract from the street takeover task force correct that is its own entity the street take over takeover task force only starts at what time in the evening it depends because uh so right it starts at nine o'clock well we have our officers our late power officers from 7 a.m or excuse me 7 p.m to 3 a.m who are committed to uh that deployment in case there is a situation that takes but when when I had a street takeover in my district um

Correct.

That is its own entity.

The street take over takeover task force only starts at what time in the evening?

It depends because uh so right now.

On a Friday night it starts at nine o'clock.

Well, we have our officers, our late power officers from 7 a.m.

or excuse me, 7 p.m.

to 3 a.m.

who are committed to uh that deployment in case there is a situation that takes when when I had a street takeover in my district, um I was told sorry, they don't start until eight o'clock, they'll be there around 8 30.

And the the takeover um went uncontrolled with zero police response for 90 minutes.

I will tell you that was very early on in the stages when we had a task force dedicated to that work, and I recall um that situation, and once it was brought to our attention, we addressed it with those individuals who are assigned, and we explained the expectations and um and talked and discussed that they would be available throughout the entire shift.

So there were some issues there, and we acknowledge that, but as the work continues as as it's now become a process, um that will no longer be the response.

My my sole concern is that enormous city resources are being spent downtown where every property owner in the city of Milwaukee pays property taxes.

In my district, I have one squad on patrol, and when I need more, I get told you need to wait 90 minutes before we finish our roll call and make our way there.

Right.

That's a problem for me, that's a problem for my residents.

Other cities that have entertainment districts control their entertainment districts with private security, like the bid or the business association or the neighbors on that in that entertainment district pay for that security.

You need to check your ID you they check IDs when people enter that area that entertainment district on the public street solely because this is not MPDs to own solely because this is a public street.

If there is a drain on resources from other neighborhoods in the city, that neighborhood draining those resources needs to step up and come to this council for a plan.

We can change whatever ordinance we need to so that that entertainment district can thrive but can also pay for its own needs.

The the cash cow of overtime on code red tells me that there are there are fewer resources, not just monetary, but if there was a need for street takeover over time, those 26 officers are no longer eligible to go protect neighborhoods.

That's a problem for me, that's a problem for my district.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

Alder Moore.

Um thank you so much, Mr.

Chair.

Um so uh probably there was a few questions that I had, and so if I'm going back, forgive me, I didn't want to interrupt my colleagues.

Um can you um Inspector Grant or um or Heather, either one of you, can you talk a little bit about numbers?

So for example, for Code Red, specifically ideally, so for the volunteer portion or the the the officers that volunteer, what is roughly the number of officers that are needed to support that?

And so that there are even if it's a range.

So there are four zones that we cover regarding uh code red, and so to support those uh the efforts and keeping the individuals there as safe as possible.

Uh I know that in the past that we've had up to about 40 officers that have worked some of those deployments, uh, but that's keeping in mind that we have Water Street North, we have Water Street South, and we have a variety of other entertainment zones downtown as well.

Uh but to give you an exact number of what is uh proper to ensure that no one is harmed, I can't provide that because that even if we had like we had 26 officers deployed uh on March 22nd, and someone still was victimized.

Um let me be a little bit more succinct.

Um average, how many officers are working code red?

And I understand that there's four zone.

On average, you know what, we typically have 20 officers or 25 or 30.

What is the average number of officers that are typically supporting that area?

I don't want to assume a woman, and I don't want to give you any boss or any accurate information.

Can I provide that information to you on another date?

Okay.

I appreciate that.

Um thank you.

And then so aside from just for my clarification, um, aside from those officers that are um supporting code red, these four zones, um, they are still um regular, you know, uh appointed uh officers that are already um scheduled to be there.

Um what does that number look like?

So that number generally is about nine, the nine officers that work the the late power or nine or so officers um for uh that deployment.

Yeah.

And those officers uh would if there's a call for service then be pulled and deployed to respond to that call for service anywhere in district one, anywhere and got it.

Yep, yeah.

So perfect that you answered.

That was a follow-up.

Um so you all mentioned um quite a bit about uh the support of uh some of our other agencies, such as um DCWS.

Can you talk a little bit about when that relationship sort of started?

Because I know they weren't always not to my recollection, I know they weren't always coming down there to to help support.

When did that relationship begin and what were the conversations about like what is needed of um of the staff?

Sure.

Well, I know uh I had reached out, and this is just anecdotally based upon my memory of my own conversations.

Uh I had reached out to Shanti Hamilton back when he was the director.

Um, and I can't honestly recall if it was last year or the year before to say, hey, listen, you know, I get I know you're deployed in all these areas, but maybe it would be helpful, like let's start a conversation about coordinating in the downtown area.

Um so it that for code red um probably happened within the last couple of years, but I don't know the exact date.

I just know he was the director looking for.

I'm just looking for just the uh a timeline couple years ago, whatever that that makes sense.

Yes.

Um thank you.

That's all the questions I have for now.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Um briefly on that point, Alder Chambers is still in the queue.

Okay.

Okay.

Alder Chambers.

Thank you.

Um, I'll go uh work backwards.

Umspector Grant, you said that it's four zones, and the zones are water north, water, south, brady, and MLK, correct?

Yes, sir.

Okay.

And it's code red on all of these, like every weekend.

Yes, we do have officers assigned every weekend to these locations.

So there was an incident that happened at Element where there was no officers over there.

That isn't part of the code red.

That is water water south, and there if I'm if my memory serves me correctly, there were officers that were uh in that vicinity or in that general area.

Uh however, I would have to review additional reports regarding that.

Okay.

But that is water south.

Yeah, uh because I just try to I guess the deployment is what can confuses me because I mean the video stated that there was no officers near there.

So um then that would take me to my next question, and this is for you, Ms.

Hove.

Um you mentioned in your earlier testimony that the bid fund um fund have funds for security.

You do you know the dollar amount for their their funds?

So the the bid security is not MPD's security.

I got you.

I do not know that information.

Do you know what are you aware of what the bids secure within their bid?

I know they utilize their resources for a number of different things in the downtown area, so they have a homeless outreach team.

They have um different security uh uh for different things, but I really honestly can't speak intelligently about what all of the resources are.

That bill bid 31?

Is that that's the 21?

Okay.

Um for part of it.

Not all the zones, not the four zones, bid 21 or cover two of the four zones.

Okay.

Um cover Brady Street, which has its own bid, and uh that's Matt Donald.

That's Matt, correct?

Matt's the bid direct.

I can ask on that question.

Um and then um, you know, going back to all the woman Taylor's point earlier, thinking back on my point, thank you.

Um, you know, MPS um has some success.

And I know all the women to be traders were like this, has some success success with their Twilight Centers.

Um, you know, with the amount of kids that you know come in and to their I mean, maybe it's a question that we can, you know, since Autumn Obama said uh the great impact MSOE did to have the beautiful current center literally right there on the corner.

You know, maybe we could possibly look into doing something as far as a Twilight Center there for the weekends.

Yeah, or the soccer field, you know, the Twilight Centers for them during the night to work off, brush off some steam, to charge them um, you know, um a nominal amount, five dollars or something like that to help do that, or that could be one of the centers that we drop off the kids to, and they can get exposed to some college education or some college, you know, environment and see if they're like that in the future as opposed to the stuff that they're embarking.

So um I I just really that's more of a comment and then other of a question.

Um, you know, I really want us to find creative ways to minimize the strain that we are already putting not only on you but the city and our residents, because we get those calls when we hear about the lack of police response and to Ottawa Bergellis' point.

You know, we do that.

Um and then you're like this one.

Um I guess you know, I had an incident again I brought up last week um where resources were pulled from various um districts.

Three, five, I drove there myself and saw the cars.

Um, you know, when a shooting when a shooting occurs or a major incident occurs downtown, all resources come from various districts if you know if you know we need it.

If a major incident or shooting come, do people come from downtown to go out to those incidents or do they stay downtown?

They also respond to different uh uh locations throughout the city of Milwaukee if there is a violent or major incident that takes place.

Because I indicate as I indicated before, sir, we service the entire city of Milwaukee.

So uh if there is an uh incident, a major incident, a shooting, a sta or a shooting, a significant uh issue that takes place on one side of the city.

If those officers that are assigned to that district, if they're on other significant uh costs for service officers from other districts who respond to those services.

And so it goes both ways.

What about officers that's working code red?

They can't be pulled.

If if there is a major incident that's taking place in the city of Milwaukee, a life threatening incident, or where uh resources are needed, they can be pulled and utilized there.

How often are they pulled?

Uh, right now I don't have that information, but that's something I can follow up with you on if that's okay.

Um, you know, I I believe that, but I just I know people didn't go from co-red down to the other incidents, and I think that since they are working overtime and they are considered extra bodies as opposed to pulling resources from other districts who are securing their district, I think they should be the first ones to go.

Just my you know, point of view.

Um, but you know, I I really think we need to reimagine this and you know, uh, get away from status quo.

Because right now I think we're just really stagnant, and that's why we have these conversations now.

So thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

Uh I think President Perez was in the queue and then back to Aldermore.

President Prez.

Yeah, I just wanted to just say that um I think there's a lot of conversations going on, and it doesn't feel like the council's at the table.

And I think we should be at the table.

We have lots of uh council members that are committed to helping solve this problem, committed to prevention, committed to sharing resources, information, and especially if there's gonna be any dollars spent, the council must be at the table.

It doesn't feel that that's the case at this point.

So I just want to make that clear that we should be at the table.

And then just one anecdotical thing I just wanted to ask is um with the fusion center, uh we can't get ahead of the street takeovers in a in a in a timely fashion.

So I believe our next file will touch a little bit on the street and team takeovers, but briefly um save it for the next okay.

Thank you.

Uh Aldermore.

I'll make this uh really brief.

Thank you so much, Mr.

Chair.

Um I think one of the things that I want to say is that um I don't expect the police department to um um create programs for the young people.

That's not what you're designed to do.

Um yes, you can partner, absolutely, but it is the role of um community partners, um, even specific departments um in our city to be able to take the lead on what that could look like.

There's a room full of community partners um that are um that are in the room.

There are plenty that may be watching online.

That is a strategy for us to be able to figure out while saying, okay, MPD, how can you support this particular initiative?

But in my opinion, it is not for you all to solve that issue.

You all are the police.

We want you to figure out how to, you know, make sure you're policing the entire, you know, supporting the entire city um around the needs that we have, not just again, not just downtown.

And this isn't, I don't want to make this, you know, this file is about you know downtown, but we're talking about a citywide issue here.

So I'm hoping that I hear, you know, from um, and and this is where we come in as well with looking at you know um resources that we may have to be able to put back into our generation, back into our young people, because there are not a lot of skating rinks and bowling alleys that allow these young people to be at.

And I know that some people don't want young people out late, you know, but once you get to be a certain age and you're a teenager, you know, there needs to be some structured and safe spaces for our young people to be.

We can have that.

It's happened in other communities.

We can figure that out.

I just push us to be able to work together to figure out what that looks like and to be able to again leverage resources, philanthropy, um, you know, community, the city, the state, whatever, but to leverage resources so that we can again um support the issues that we're having in the city and not just you know, write off our young people.

So we can get I know we can get there because we got a lot of people in this room that care.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Mr.

Chairman.

Uh thank you.

Uh Alder Taylor's in the queue.

Then we'll go back to the sponsor and uh maybe wrap wrap things up.

Yeah, um, thank you so much.

Um so um appreciate all the woman, Charlotte Moore.

She thank you me right into where I want to go.

Uh so I was just gonna put in a plug for District 9 because often I say that we need to be part of the solution, right?

Um, and so she's right, MPD is not responsible for programming, but there are a lot of people in the room that I can see right now who do care and they want to come up with a solution.

So my plug is that um district nine has um uh is in the process of opening a roller rink for our young people, but it is not a free-for-all.

There is going to be accountability, there is high security, there is parental involvement, there is ID checking.

So um, but we are trying to be part of the solution to have a space for young people because we can't just keep pushing them from area to area to area uh without a solution because that's what's gonna happen, and we're never gonna stop these street takeovers and um and overutilization of our resources, and um so we have to come up with solutions.

So that is my plug for district nine flow roller rink will hopefully open sometime in October.

Um, but we're gonna try to, like I said, have all of our security pieces in place so we're not overutilizing our resources.

We love that.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

You're welcome.

Thank you.

Um I I certainly take to heart the comments of my colleagues regarding the need for police resources in the neighborhoods and that the court red may or may not be consuming too much police resources.

But I just having said that, I also represent neighborhoods, so I understand that concern.

Yeah, but I have to say for the record and for people watching on TV, uh, this area in yellow represents 22% of the city's tax base.

This tax base is what allows the city to provide public services and public safety in other parts of the city.

This has two percent of the city's land there, land mass in this yellow area.

There's about 90,000 jobs in this in this yellow area.

There's about 10,000 hotel rooms in this yellow area.

There's about 8,000 residents in this area.

There's a major university in this area.

There are numerous entertainment venues, which are economic drivers of the hospitality industry in downtown, and frankly, for the entire city.

You have the the Beard Center and the convention center and five serve forum and the Panther Arena and Miller Theater and the new live nation theater and all the other the Pepsi Theater Group, you have numerous entertainment venues.

So downtown is everybody's neighborhood.

It does deserve the police resources necessary to maintain this economic engine.

So this engine continues to function and continues to produce economic value and social value for all the citizens of Milwaukee and frankly for all residents of Southeast Wisconsin.

So let's not put PIP neighborhoods against neighborhoods because this is everybody's neighborhood.

And this is the economic engine of Milwaukee in Southeast Wisconsin.

But I'm all in favor of measures that can reduce the incentive to come downtown at tailgate.

And one of those methods, and this has been discussed before, is fencing off these entertainment districts and creating entry points where people are wanted and go through magnetometers and are checked for weapons.

Are we looking at that?

Do we have any plans in place?

Are we penciling out what that would cost?

Um so from a policing perspective, we would love to be able to have controlled areas in uh entertainment districts or elsewhere where large numbers of people congregate that are fenced off, where private security is wanting individuals checking IDs.

We know that in other entertainment districts um nationwide, that is the model.

Um and that seems to have worked in some of the places.

Um in fact, Captain Teal is visiting Nashville now.

I think they do that in a number of different places and spaces.

Um I think that's a bigger conversation than police, and I don't mean to pass the buck.

Um we can absolutely recommend, and I know the chief is very supportive of areas where we could start.

A challenge with Milwaukee to acknowledge is that um the downtown area is vast, and there are a number of micro entertainment areas within the downtown areas.

But we say let's start one place.

Let's see.

Let's see if it works and is effective.

Um, because we also uh while we uh police citywide, we also agree with all the statements that you s you said as well.

So um I uh know that the police department is committed uh to having a conversation about dedicated entertainment districts.

We would be happy to make recommendations from a public safety perspective in that conversation, but I think that that would involve more than just us because uh there needs to be some decision and policymakers.

What's the administration's position on that?

Very supportive.

The I'm talking about uh oh, I thought you meant the police administration.

I apologize.

I can't speak to um the administration's position.

Ms.

Danius is here, she could perhaps would you like to speak to the position of the administration or not?

Well, I guess how do we get this process started?

Do I introduce a file in two weeks that directs DPW to put a defense?

Yeah, just to get the conversation going.

Take the fence with Mrs.

So it's not their responsibility to police downtown Milwaukee.

Right.

So um so but what I'm I guess just to kind of wrap things up.

So what I'm hearing is when this many folks congregate, um, you are overwhelmed.

There is not a response that you can do with even 26 officers that are is going to make that manageable.

If you wanted to enforce anything, whether it's curfew, parents, the rest, that would take all your officers and more.

So Alder Bauman is discussing the fencing alternative as a way for you to get a handle on things.

So um worth further discussion, worth deeper dive with the administration to see if they'd support it.

Uh Alder Bauman wants to bring forward a file to to make that uh put that in motion.

It's is his district um where this would be happening.

So that's something that could be pursued.

Uh Alder Chambers, you had a super quick question.

We usually end up with the the sponsor.

Yes, sir.

Um and I and I really appreciate my colleague on this, and I know that he is working hard and has done tremendous work for um you know his district and representing downtown very well, so I won't you know push back on that far as that, but um Ms.

Huff.

What is the um I guess I want to know like what is the um the amount of officers that are currently stationed at District One?

Or what what's the the what's the I guess the the the um the rate of employment, I guess as far as like productivity and things of that nature because I know we previously had a matrix study, and I know that district one and six had the highest like productivity rate being a proactive having proactive call that I call the re-echo costs, meanwhile, district four, district seven, and district five had reactive costs to a high amount.

Um I guess where uh I guess what I'm trying to figure out is there's more than enough officers that are district one that can man the entire district, I would assume, correct?

Or they are then as well.

I guess that's the question I'm asking.

So right now, if I'm not mistaken, we are down at least a hundred officers citywide, if not more than that.

Uh so we would welcome and and I appreciate uh you auditors for pushing out, you know, that we're hiring because we are definitely hiring and looking for more members to join our forces to support all of our vast and vibr uh diverse communities.

Uh but as it relates to the staffing of district five, I can give you that number.

District one, I can give you that number uh in a closed door session, sir.

Um but right now they are still uh just based upon the the resources that we have, they're still understaffed as well as other districts throughout the city.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Um file.

Uh well, let's ask the sponsor if it's his wish to have this place on file, or would you like to keep it um held for keeping file alive?

So hold on call it a chair.

I'll do that.

Okay.

Alder Chambers then moves to have this item held to the call the chair.

Are there any objections?

Then that matters dispensed with the.

Thank you.

Moving on to an adjacent file where community wellness and safety uh has been noticed, and we'll have a seat at the table as well.

This is item number five, file number two five two one three one.

Communication from the Milwaukee Police Department and the Department of Community Wellness and Safety relating to their response to team takeovers.

This is sponsored by Alder Moore, myself, and Alder President Perez.

Alder Moore, you are taking leads, so we will go to you.

Thank you so much.

Uh, are we having other folks come to the table or uh community wellness and safety has been noticed, so they should uh come on down.

Yeah, okay.

Is that a presentation you have not said?

Okay, let me call City Chancellor.

Thank you.

I'm actually leaving the TNS for this one.

Okay, thank you.

Um thank you so much, Mr.

Chair.

Um, one of the more recent issues that have transpired in our city has been sort of the team takeovers.

So we had the street takeovers, now we have the team takeovers.

Uh and this is an opportunity for us to get a little bit more clarity around just sort of, and again, these opportunities are for us to um communicate back to our residents as to what it is that we're doing, you know, when these sorts of issues um happen.

We know that there is police response, but at the same time, what is um our department's response or even our community's response or the collaboration thereof on how we're addressing um these particular issues, and so I just wanted to um call the department to just share uh what it is that um they've they've done, what you know, how they've participated in the process uh just so that we can get a sense of the work um that's taking place, and again, this helps us uh figure out if there's a need, if there's anything missing, what do we need to do as um elected bodies uh you know to put some you know ordinance together, whatever it may be, but it's that sort of um relationship where we're looking for that communication.

So thank you so much, Mr.

Chair, if any of our my colleagues want to add to that.

Very good.

Uh President Press, anything to add before we go to the departments?

No, I think uh my colleague captured it.

Well, we just want to hear what's going on, and I guess for the viewing public, just to be able to measure some outcomes of commitments that are going to be made to um some of the things we need to address.

Very good.

With that, we'll throw it to the police department and department of community wellness and safety.

All right, so I uh also have Captain Vanetta Norberg, who is our commanding officer of our school resource officer division as well as our community resource division.

Uh as it relates to the team takeovers, I was advised uh directly by um our intelligence fusion center as well as our community partners, um 41 well community partner CBI teams who provided direct information regarding where these team takeovers would take place, and that was an Instagram post uh with which had a variety of different flyers, and so I'm very thankful for the partnerships that we have with our CBI teams, our CBI partners who uh provide us information so that we can get ahead of our toy uh our our strategic deployments uh etc.

And so uh when advised about uh Carmen Park and Moody Park, uh we worked uh with our school resource officers, the officers from District 4, officers from District 5, and also our the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office to uh deploy law enforcement personnel at those locations.

Our officers engaged with the youth that were there.

Uh we also know that 414 Life, um Department of Community Safety and Wellness along with other CBI teams were uh at these locations engaging with the youth, and that they also dispersed some of the individuals that were there.

Uh based upon the information that I have is that uh a lot of the um CBI partners actually diffused situations before they escalated.

Um, as relates to the teams that were at these locations.

A lot of the teams were there to have fun.

I was advised that a lot of the youth were there uh walk walking dogs on roller skates, playing basketball, actually there to have fun at the park where they should be allowed to be kids and to uh uh partake in those activities.

Uh, we were then advised that there could be a possible team takeover at Third Street Market.

How we were also advised that there was going to be a team takeover at district stations, and so that causes significant alarm because what teen is advising other teens to go to police districts to try to take over a police department, and so it causes us to um investigate if these are adults that are putting these flyers together.

We know that this is nationwide, Atlanta.

Um other places uh throughout the the U.S.

have experienced this uh during uh spring break and also responded.

And so our message to our community, our message to our parents and guardians.

Please know where your kids are going.

Please know who's going to be there.

Please know if there's going to be responsible adults.

We know that we have a variety of community partners and resources who have programming for our youth.

Please take advantage of those programs and be uh uh very cautious of just dropping your kids off.

That's it.

Okay.

Uh office or uh Department of Community Wellness and Safety.

Do you have anything to add?

Sure.

Hello, uh Committee members, President Uh of the Council and other council members.

My name is Karen Tyler, interim director for the Department of Community Wellness and Safety.

Um I'd like to first uh kind of uh emphasize with uh emphasize what uh Inspector Grant stated.

This is a national um situation that's taking place, so we are going to be under the guidance of the National Um Office of Violence Prevention Network, and there is an emergency meeting scheduled for later this month.

Um with that being said, we have done some research uh locally, and um I want to turn it over to Julian Pfeiffer who leads our data and research um work within the office, and we'll talk about some statistics and some um information that we've put together.

So I I don't think this was shared with me in advance.

So, how long it would the presentation?

It's very brief.

Like five minutes, ten minutes for sure.

Okay, yes.

Uh yeah, please try to keep it brief so we'll have time for questions from members.

But thank you.

Sure, thank you.

Good morning.

My name is Julian Pfeiffer.

I work in community outreach projects for the Department of Community Wellness and Safety.

Um as we think about our response to uh takeovers.

I think it's important to be guided by the data.

The data tells us that Milwaukee is a young city.

Uh nearly one in three residents is under the age of 20, according to the health department uh community health assessment.

Share of residents under age 20 in Milwaukee is about 27% higher uh than national average.

That helps explain the scale of what we are dealing with here.

Uh it means that Milwaukee faces a higher demand for places to go, uh things to do and ways to connect, as the Alder Woman uh mentioned.

There's a greater responsibility to provide space structure and opportunity.

If we're not meeting that demand, um then it's going it's going to show up somewhere.

Before teen takeovers, street takeovers were a thing, uh, that community health assessment highlighted uh the need of investing in safe spaces and uh youth programs that help young people thrive.

Speaking to that, um there's a social engagement index uh conducted by the health department, which is a measure of things like what are people involved in, um how do people feel connected to uh feel like they belong somewhere and whether they feel like uh there's positive ways to connect with others.

Um what it what the index showed was that Milwaukee, City of Milwaukee ranks uh number the lowest, second lowest among the 19 municipalities uh in the county.

Um even within the city, there's a 30-point gap between the most connected and least connected neighborhoods.

Uh that's that explains a big difference between uh how people experience uh daily life.

Low social engagement means that there's going to be um greater isolation.

Higher race higher isolation means that there's going to be more instability where there's instability, there's violence.

Mr.

Chair, uh President Press.

I just could you just explain how you how you got there.

I mean, I mean you you just threw out there were second.

And how did you measure that?

How well that was uh research from the City of Milwaukee Health Department released in their in their recent release recently released uh community health assessment, those were their figures.

And this is within Milwaukee County, it's not a comparison of us with other pure cities around the country.

It's uh ranking of the 19 municipalities uh uh in the city of Milwaukee by the health department in the county.

Milwaukee.

Chair Okay uh President Preza you concluded or yeah I just I it's I mean it's an interesting ranking that we're second lowest I just want to know how we got there for the data to back that up I love to have the health department here we we've been talking about engaging and uh coordinating on more of these sort of things but uh that's health department data and you know I say that because uh I believe I I've heard publicly another mayor said it that we have a plethora of things for young people to do and so I'm I want to make that connection between what you're saying here and the plethora of things for young people to do in the city according to the metrics that they looked at and that they're comparing what they're saying is between neighborhoods there is a 30 point gap then so there are neighborhoods where that engagement is high and then there are other neighborhoods where it's lower.

Okay.

Alder Bergell yeah I just don't see the relevance of this at all.

Um you just you you said just now a moment ago that there are there's a thirty point gap between neighborhoods within Milwaukee County so the relevance of a social engagement index amongst municipalities one that has a whole lot of people and West Milwaukee with 4500 residents 900 of them go to the bake sale that's not a fair comparison.

So I I really just have to question the relevance of any of this and well the relevance in my opinion if I could say that um you know Milwaukee is a city with uh um the young youth population population under age 20 which which is twenty seven percent higher than national average that that gives us a greater responsibility to provide this uh the support and the structure and these uh venue app uh opportunities for the young folks we got more young folks than most cities sir you're comparing apples to elephants I don't I don't see it thank you okay please proceed um um we want to make sure we have time for questions so uh again I was promised five seven ten minutes max so uh I'll let you proceed without interruption but let's um conclude so we can have questions okay so I'm pointing out here that uh the City of Milwaukee Department of Community Wellness and Safety has invested in our youth our summer of healing program uh provides safe uh fun uh skill building activities for youth to get signed up for and involved in uh during the summer months that investment has been made also uh we have partnered with uh Employee Milwaukee for the growth opportunities uh uh program that's for kids ages fifteen to eighteen uh mentoring job training uh conflict resolution uh skill building um these are these are some of the responses that the Department of Community Wellness and Safety has uh these should be considered part of the response to the issue of what we're what what our young people are facing in the city uh this slide here uh details the coordinated response as described uh by uh Inspector Grant another MPD um our street outreach teams are coordinating um looking to stay ahead keep an eye on the chatter what's happening and respond uh to uh incidents what do we have here um our summer of healing uh grantees have agreed uh uh on a creative way uh to uh create our own takeovers and and and surround those with uh positive healthy events so um there's some creative things happening there's also been some discussions uh with uh gaining additional support from philanthropists uh we've had some uh businesses who have offered to provide facilities uh space um and uh provide support to capacity building for uh what the our efforts prevention efforts thank you thank you and uh I would just request for the department um next time to provide the slides in advance we can have it added to the file and then numbers can have it on their computer so they can see it some of the text was really hard to see and also helps us prep in advance.

Thank you.

Um with that uh are there questions from committee members for either MPD or DCWS Mr.

Chair Aldermore.

Thank you thank you so much um thank you for um sharing um that context uh with us um it's you know sort of sad um to see that we're the second lowest when it comes to um social engagement um I know that um the health department pulled puts out this report I want to say maybe yearly or every year the I I always remember them seeing a report do you rem do you know if this is a yearly report or I believe it's every two two years every two years.

And we actually should be using the health department's report as a tool to gauge some of the things that we do here in the city.

In regards to, you know, yeah, we have a plethora of activities for our young people.

That's the that's the summer camps, the internships.

But what we're really talking, you know, at 10 o'clock at night or nine o'clock at night, we're not talking about those things, right?

We're talking about this social this social engagement.

So knowing this information, um, I mean, when were you all so let me back up?

When were you all aware of this information?

Well, it has informed our efforts.

Uh our summer of healing programming.

Uh, we've gone in, we're going into this summer represents the third year uh that our summer of healing program has been uh uh going on.

So we've we that informs our work.

Um and the report that just came out, what what is the date on it?

2025.

I think it came was released in January of 25.

Okay, and so you all have been using that information to sort of inform um some of the things that you all do, along with other reports, studies.

Yes, no, that's that's awesome.

Um that is that is really good.

And so then with that, um, what has been the plan um to coordinate these sort of social engagements?

Because again, you know, I shared before that the the this is not the police um sort of um duty, right, to put together programs for young people or coordinate strategies, right?

Um they could be part of it.

So, what have you all done to be able to um coordinate, knowing that these so you know this was in 2025, what has been done to help coordinate putting partners together or using this data to actually strategize some things.

There have been conversations with folks like the health department um in the agreement on collaborating and coordinating on uh prevention uh issues, and so we look forward to uh that partnership.

Um of the things that we've talked about is ways to uh leverage um the influence and the uh resources of uh sister uh city agencies who also have a stake in this, uh, engage uh other stakeholders and uh pursue opportunities where um priorities and goals are lie and uh prevent violence.

Thank you.

Um and I hear you and I hear what you're saying, but a lot of what I'm hearing is oh, we're in conversation, we're in talks.

I want to know what's been done.

Summer of Healing's been done.

Um Growth Opportunities Milwaukee uh has been done.

These are things social and get let's go back to the social engagement.

So like I'm very familiar with summer of healing.

I'm very familiar with some of the partners that are at the table.

Um what I'm saying is what what is the strategy?

So young people doing this sort of stuff, this ain't new.

When I was young, what they had was cruising.

The signs are still up on what is that Sherman, right?

We were around during, you know, we were young ourselves, but we were around during that time.

When when a city is void, again, we're the second lowest.

When a city is the void, you already said it, of these opportunities, it creates a higher demand, and guess what?

Young people are gonna, you know, find their own ways to do things, as we've seen.

It morphs into different things, right?

Street takeovers, teen takeovers, whatever, right?

What I'm asking is yes, there is summer of healing, um, yes, there's this growth opportunities that's very prescriptive to a small group of young people or um a very structured opportunity.

What I'm asking is what is the strategy, what has been the strategy to talk about how we address young people, how we support young people, you know, and I and and um and anybody can answer, but um I'm I'm trying to get to the yeah, we're working on this.

I haven't seen anything.

So I just so I'm uh so that's what I'm pulling, that's what I'm sort of pulling out.

What what is the talks right now?

What has been done right now to address that?

Go ahead, Far.

So uh I just and thank you very much, Fine, for allowing me to jump in real quick.

Uh Woman Moore, um, I just want to tell you yes, you absolutely air absolutely right.

Um our role as law enforcement professionals is to protect and serve.

However, our officers are engaging with the youth on a regular basis.

I know that we have a great uh relationship uh with MPS and the young uh individuals that attend the schools and Captain Norberg, can you provide you with information regarding what our school resource officers are currently doing in the in the program and in the partnership inside of the schools?

Um I wanted to jump in because um last year when we had the shooting down.

Can you please introduce yourself?

Uh Vaughn Mays, um founder of Conforce, um, one of the peacekeeper teams under uh DCWS.

Um last year I sat here in the seat when we had the shooting um downtown, and I specifically said that on top of the resources, the uh uh presence and all of that stuff that we needed to have down there, um, we cannot do that without providing these alternative spaces for young people.

I said that last year.

Yep.

And this is a continuation of that not being done and prioritized.

Um so what we're seeing is a continuation of young people figuring out their own spaces, putting their own things together, right?

Um, Mr.

Mayz, when you shared that information, who did you share that information with?

When I shared that, I was talking to the this talking to this body.

Yes.

Okay.

Um, but what I will say is after that happened, the only so we have a lock-in program.

Yep, and this goes to um Auger Regalus of of the question he asked about the relevance, right?

There's a difference in things that people do.

You have people who go to bars, then you have people who go to after cities.

Yep.

There's a total difference in that.

This is why we have all these programs that people talk about, but they wonder why the kids won't go to those programs or aren't attending those spaces.

The specific group that we're talking about, you have to be intentional in the space you create for them.

Yes.

Because a lot of these other places that are in place may not be welcoming to them.

Some of them don't want them there or don't want to work with that specific population.

So the program that we created was a was a direct uh response to the bug shooting that we had a number of years ago.

Um the lock-in program was created for that, and it was birthed in order woman Taylor's district.

And the the week before we opened that launch that program, there was a shooting in her district, blocks away from where we first launched.

After that, there was there were no more shootings in that district.

And we did that program in her district for about a year.

Last year, DCWS, LCWS at the time, sponsored the only lock-in we had last year.

We had the most attendance we ever had in a lock-in.

So when we talk about spaces, we have to be intentional and specific about the space we create for certain young people because there are spaces for other young people, but you know, to be honest, a lot of the conversation we're not having is a lot of these other organizations do not want to work with the population that needs the most help.

We have to be honest about that.

And then we have to be intentional about that space.

So even there's been some interruption because of what happened with uh Adam and his uh having to step down because the conversation that we keep having about the space where MPD is supposed to take in people, that was conversation started with myself and Adam and other partners about what that was supposed to look like, and that has been interrupted since he's had to step down.

So the the idea was to have the missing piece, um, the the um Twilight Centers, um, lock ins, different alternatives for them to go to depending on what the needs of those young people were.

Because some of them will go to the the uh Twilight Centers, some of them will go to the missing piece, they have great programming and stuff that happens there all the time.

But some of them specifically, we keep having these conversations with young people and they're telling us what they want.

The lock-ins is literally created from everything that they want and they like to do.

And I'm not trying to shameless plug, I'm just saying our work is specific for the issues that we're talking about.

So it will be um great to have some of that uh a lot more of that, those conversations.

And I want to uh shout out the CVI ecosystem for bringing together the critical protocol response and how we are coming more collective and a lot of the stuff that we're doing and bouncing off each other.

Um, even so much as we're seeing this spill out into other municipalities.

We've seen it spell out to Bakeshore, we've seen this spell out to uh Mayfair, and these are again because even they are not providing spaces where they are, but these are where people go.

And our young people go where everybody else goes.

They want to be included and they want to do some of the same things.

And so um, like you said, nobody wants young people to be out in the middle of the night, but you have to have something that accounts for the young people who will be out in the middle of the night and do that in a safe um conducive and supported way.

So I'll take this back to the department.

So Vaughn, you mentioned that the conversation had been interrupted since Adam left, as far as um and my colleague talked about um the space, the curfew, you know, figuring out how do we do curfew violations or again.

Um Inspector Grant was just like this is not about you know punishing young people, you know, we can cite them all day.

We we don't want to do that.

That doesn't work.

Um, it doesn't curve the behavior, right?

Um, sort of make some things other things worse.

Um, but I want to bring it back to the department as far as um if this was interrupt, why was it interrupted?

Because I don't want to make this about an actual person.

I want to make this about if the the if there's a department that has you know, these are the things that we're supposed to be doing, and if somebody comes into the um or or is part of um um these decisions or these conversations, why didn't it continue?

So I'll I'll bring that back to you, Miss Tyler, as far as because I I've been hearing about the curfew spaces.

I think there might have been an article about it, and I was confused because I hadn't heard anything from you know from anybody, um particularly the department that it started in as far as just communication, you know, this is this is what we're thinking about.

So why was that conversation interrupted?

Because again, we're going into the summer months.

We know that when the you know the weather peaks, right?

You know, we probably gotta praise God for the rain because it might simmer some things down, but we know that things are, you know, folks were gonna be outside, right?

That's and that's where they should be.

Um, but um, how did that conversation not continue because it seemed like it was an idea to again figure out how to curb or curtail um the issue.

Yeah, Miss Tyler.

Go ahead, I'm sorry.

So the the conversation definitely continued, so we didn't uh talk specifically about the lock-ins, but we did talk to other youth organizations because it's beyond just violence prevention, is it's youth engagement.

So we have one of our great partners here, UNCOM, they have youth organizations across the city, you know, we have contracted partners with running rebels and like our summer of healing.

So again, we're trying to be creative.

So for an example, we try to So go back to the example of the curfew situ, you know, the the space for the curfew.

That's what I'm trying to get a little bit more understanding about.

Yeah, so first of all, w there's so much that we have to talk about, and we have to talk about how do we even invest in this type of idea.

So it's very preliminary.

So when the media report came out, you know, we haven't finalized anything.

So yeah, so again, it's just preliminary conversations now.

But what we learned from the police department is that they do t have youth and that it requires a lot of their time.

So then we thought uh let's talk about this, let's see what we can do.

Because if we can bring youth into a location, we can possibly um explore wraparound services, we can see what's going on, why are they been out after curfew?

We know the statistics state that you know they're at higher uh danger when they're out.

That's where the higher prevalence of violence is for youth, too.

So definitely we're just exploring a lot of different things and getting geared up for summer, but we have a lot of transitional things going on within our office right now.

But definitely we want to make sure we have concrete plans, but again, we're meeting regularly about this.

Uh as you see, we're doing the research, so we can go in the right direction.

I understand that.

And you know, I understand that there may be some transitional things that may be um impeding the department.

So with so with that, then will the work not get done because it's now April, right?

You know, if we're talking about a plan for summer, it should we we should already know what that is, because you know, um I did a summer use resource fair, and I apologize to people because we should be talking about summer in January, right?

Um, because you know, that's when all people are signing up for stuff from just planning.

It's now April.

When when will we get a you know, is it something that's looking to be implemented a pilot this year?

Is it you know what we're just gonna plan for next year?

I'm just trying to get an understanding of like we can talk and talk and talk and we're sitting and we're meeting, but I'm a person that I'm just like I we need to get to the table, uh, figure out what we need to do, call the partners, you know, get a plan together because summer is gonna be here sooner than you know it, and there's nothing that's concrete that is you know set in stone of how we're gonna be supporting young people, you know, this summer.

So for you all, is the is there a timeline?

Is there, you know what, we're looking to have things finalized by a particular time.

Like give me a little sense of where you all are on just sort of the planning process because I don't want us to be planning in June.

Yeah, so uh for one, we had two major meetings yesterday, one with VR Fast with a lot of our um partners across the city, as well as an and I know Lynn Lewis is here who leads the critical response protocol, and so because it we want to explore that with the entire CVI ecosystem as well as uh youth organizations across the city.

So, yeah, we know we do have a tight timeline, and we and we we did anticipate starting early with things, but then we had an abrupt change in leadership, and now with the transition, it is affecting like um our coordination, but for sure we know we I mean this is affecting the coordination.

Well, for one, you gotta think we went from an office to a department.

Um so we had to look at that.

We had to look at restructuring.

Again, we had an abrupt change in leadership.

Uh we did uh so there was differences in regards to the direction.

We don't know who is gonna be the leader.

So that's another thing.

We're down five staff currently.

But you were the one that want to be the leader though.

You know, so yeah, so I'm gonna be an interesting.

You want to be no, want to be, and actually is the leader.

Interesting.

Well, yes, correct, but that shouldn't deter things from still moving forward because you're practicing what you have with us.

So I'm down five back.

I can't see relevant.

I can't even hire anyone right now.

I can't even hire.

So we're down five staff.

And so I think people need to take have some grace for our department.

Again, we went to we went from a we're a standalone department now.

That requires a lot of infrastructure considerations.

And then again, we can't hire, we can't fire, so we can't really make a lot of changes.

So we're down five staff.

That's pretty significant.

Um so I believe we're doing the best we can, and we are moving things forward, but there's challenges.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Mr.

Chairman.

Oh, go ahead.

Can I also uh bring it back to the chair?

Let's let's hold on, Harry.

Uh, so we're having a very involved discussion.

There's members with questions.

Let's make sure we get members to have the opportunity to ask those questions.

So all their chambers, you were next in the queue.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair, and and my apologies to my colleague for coming in.

Um I'm gonna be the one to apologize to you, Miss Karen, and to your department because actions made by this council within the budget, um, you know, you know, and directly harm your department for a short period of time, and now you're going through what you're going through right now.

And I can speak for myself and myself alone, and I'm gonna say I apologize for that.

Because, you know, had we known at least for me, the decisions that we made within the budget process, it probably would have been a bigger fight as far as doing that.

So I'm gonna be the first to say that because you as an intern, you don't have powers to do anything as you stated, as far as hiring, firing, or even monetary issue, monetary decisions to actually, you know, hand out contracts and do things to your department to your organization various organizations that are here.

So I think it's very unfair to put you through that fire um when you can't, because if you had that ability, you probably would have done what you needed to do.

Um so I I'm not saying that to get applause.

I'm just saying it to stay facts, so thank you.

Um, you know, I I just think that you know, when we, you know, as my colleagues stated, Auto Woman Moore, we all need to, you know, pool in our resources and pool in our thing.

And I came to a lock-in.

I came to lock in the day before my back to school festival just to see at Myth and Peace.

Um forges, and it was fantastic.

It was about 65 kids there singing, dancing, even loaded Cheetos and playing basketball, and they were face pain, they was learning how to cook, they were playing video games, they were doing a ton of things not in the street.

Um, so I want y'all to continue to do that work and we want to I personally want to continue to support the efforts that everyone is doing far as doing this.

Um my question, um my question to you, Mr.

Mays, is um how do you see this?

How do you see how do you envision a true response and a true partnership between the departments as far as MPD and DCWS moving forward on combating that because they can't do this alone, as you said.

How do you how do you envision it?

I I think um the route that we were going on originally when I was having these conversations with Adam about uh creating this new response.

I think they've doing uh done an amazing job of of kind of letting us come up with that initially and what that looks like about not wanting to be necessarily handing out um you know uh tickets and all that stuff, but trying to get these young people resources because even in 2016, the same issues at Sherman Park, and uh much of the response was these kids won't go home at 10 o'clock, get them out of here arresting what's going on.

Nobody was asking why or what could be done.

And I think some of the conversation that ended up happening was okay, some of these young people may not have a home to go to.

Some of these young people are getting abused and don't want to go home.

So once you start dealing with it from that way, you can go to Sherman Park right now, and it's totally different, right?

And so I appreciate them for for that response.

We have to can maintain control of what that looks like um to maximize the impact um and make sure that it's not necessarily just punitive unless we have to go those routes.

Again, base short, this has been an issue with them for over a year, almost two years.

And I've been in um contact with the order and the mayor there.

They still haven't moved on this.

And so it's not just an issue here.

Other people and other entities who are impacted by this have to be part of the solution.

Because if you're losing money and this is affecting you, you can't just leave it on us to come save you or intervene in these situations.

So I think if we can continue to have these talks and we are able to build out and identify valuable places these young people can go and then get the resources and the um the programs and stuff that they need inserted in those places to maximize while they're there, what we can do for them as as quickly as we can do that, I think is doable.

We just have to do it.

Can I just interrupt for a second?

Sorry, I have to um get out of here soon.

I'm Captain Norberg from the School Resource Office, uh Community Resource Division, and I just want to offer some resources, you know, that we may have or could some connections that we can help anyone sitting out here have as well.

So you guys already know that um our school resource officers are assigned to 12 high schools across the schools, um, engaging with more than 9,000 students every day when we can engage with them.

So we talk a lot about um youth safeties, um conflict resolutions, and we also take in their concerns what they're looking to do and what concerns they have in the city of Milwaukee.

Um we do programs with um one specifically is a 12 with 12 program at King where we cover human trafficking, reckless driving, forensic sci science, and also K9 operations, and try to support those after school curricular activities, including one high school is trying to get a flag football team started for the girls.

Um they also officers also do a boys to men talking circle, girls of color.

So um I just want to put out there that we are a resource.

Um anyone can contact me to let me know what we can put out to the students to the parents.

We also have a parent academy meeting every month.

Um we don't get a lot of show from the parents, but we consistently do it on our own so that we have a way to communicate information to parents.

Um we have one that is coming up soon.

Um that'll be at North Division High School, but we're gonna talk about the team takeovers and what suggestions parents may have.

Um students are invited as well.

What do they have?

What do they do, or what can we give them as well?

I just want to put out there that um school resource office is a resource too to get information to the students, to the parents, just to the school community.

And really quick, Mr.

Chair, can you please add us to that communication parent academy or whatever you all are putting out, we would love to hear about that information.

So you can send it to the city clerk, he'll get it to all of us, but I would love to uh know what's going on because I don't.

And so um for this body again to help make you know decisions and to just know what's going on, or even share communication with our constituents to be able to say, hey, you know, there's a cut there's a parent academy that's going to be this month, right?

So we want to be partners in that as well, but please communicate with us.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh third of Mr.

Chair.

I apologize.

Um Alder Taylor.

Thank you.

Um, Ms.

Tyler, prior to you getting your the second time being inter, um what was some of the things that you were working on in your capacity, not as intern at your capacity prior to that, under the leadership of former director, I don't know his last name.

Should we save that for I think that is this related to the team takeover bit or is it or yes?

It's related to the previous kind the previous uh points that were made by my colleague.

But if we want to wait, if we want to wait to number five, we can wait to number number six, we can wait.

I don't know.

It's still relevant.

But yeah, it's if it relates to the team takeover, it's completely germane.

If it doesn't, then we should hold it to the other one.

So nope, there's wait.

There's way to it.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Uh Elder Taylor.

All right, thank you so much, Chair Person uh Spider.

Uh so what I'm gonna do is just point out the lesson to be taken from the conversation that was just had is continuity.

That um when things are set up, it should be set up with continuity.

So regardless of what's happening, that there's no break in it.

So let's take that as a lesson that we when we set things up that it is able to keep going, even if someone leaves that they um that we can do that.

It's important to do that when we're dealing with young people.

So I do um I did want Captain Norberg to hear a thank you to her for all that the school resource officers are doing, uh especially this parent academy meeting um because so often we forget about the parents.

Um so Vaughn Mays hit on something that is extremely important that we're looking at ch young people who are looking for things to do, but they're also dealing with trauma.

So, and now I'm speaking from an educator having taught for more than 20 years, that um that is a big reason why our young people are moving in directions that they're moving in.

Uh, and so we have to find a way to deal with that.

So I want to say thank you to uh Ron Mays for the work that you're doing.

Um these programs that you're talking about, this lock in program, the Twilight Centers, um, and I want to say thank you to the organizations like OnComm and Running Rebels and Summer Healing.

Those are so important.

It is so important that we keep this organization, DC uh WS in place because we have to have people who are going to invest their time and efforts into helping our young people.

They have to be able to have someone to help them transition from young folks to adults, right?

Because otherwise we're gonna have the same behavior from young folks going into adulthood, and then we end up with all these situations, and then we go, oh my god, what are we gonna do?

Right.

So you start before they get to that point, um, to help with some of that healing from those traumas, redirect that negative energy into something positive.

Um, and so I'm saying that to say that can we look at involving other entities as well that are working with that trauma, right?

And so we have those things like Montreal Kane, who are dealing with our children and helping to heal them with some of that trauma.

You have youth victory over violence from Tracy Dent.

Though I I don't want to stop with, I think you're doing an awesome job.

Absolutely love the things that you're doing because like you said, so often we just want to push them aside and not even think about what's happening with our young people, and we cannot do that.

Those young people become adults, and we want them to be responsible adults, so we have to invest time, but it's not just investing time with just creating activities.

We have to deal with the issues that they're coming with.

We have to talk to them about those issues and figure out what's going to help them best.

So I think what you're doing is important, and I really wanted to point that out, but I also want to point out that as we are moving forward, let's look at how do we create continuity so no matter what happens, that we don't lose ground when we're dealing with our young people.

Mr.

Vice Chair.

Uh put me in the queue.

Um, sure.

I'm done.

Can I respond?

Um for the briefly please.

Yes, and I I did want to um highlight two other programs that we do fund.

So we do fund Milwaukee County trauma response team that is a youth focused mental health support system.

So if there's a family that deals with something, uh they uh focus on the youth in that the youth in that family and provide supportive services, and then we also have our safe futures initiative, and that's in MPS where we bring um mental health resources as well as um uh employment opportunities and and other services too.

So we have a lot of youth focused initiatives as well as our youth ambassadors who who help advise us on what we should do with youth, which is very important too.

So I think it's a last comment think it's very important then as older woman more stated is to make sure that we stay connected, um, that you let us know what these things are so that we can also assist you.

Yeah, for sure.

Okay, uh you mentioned some uh funding of a county program, which is fine.

Um are there any grants that the city receives related to youth programming specifically from the state?

Oh, from the state from the state.

Oh yeah, so like with our ARPA funding, we have allocated uh youth engagement support.

So we do fund Uncle, which is a collective of youth organizations across the city.

Um and then again our city, those city archives, not state ARPA.

Right, forgive me.

Um pass it back to older woman more.

Um I just had one final um question, um, was just simply around again.

The file is just really centered around the response in regards to the teen takeovers.

Um, how much communication did you provide the full counsel on um sort of what was going on, what to expect.

Uh did you email us or how much communication did you share with us?

We have not uh communicated with the council with anything so much, Mr.

We were waiting to that time.

No problem.

Thank you so much.

Okay.

Uh any other discussion on this item?

Any motions for this item?

Can I just say one last thing?

Uh MPD member.

I just want to say that I appreciate all of all of the support from uh all of our community partners, uh Department of Community Safety and Wellness, 414, uh Life, our CBI partners, just everyone, uh, Mr.

Von Mays, all of the support that we receive from our community.

It assists us uh to do our job because they can take on things that uh can relieve us from taking on those same responsibilities.

While we're protecting and serving, they're stepping in into some of the spaces that we may not be able to just because of the uniforms that we wear.

So I just wanted to uh just thank all of our partners, and also the men and women of the Milwaukee Police Department.

Awesome.

Okay, and thank you to you.

Uh Chair, I just request that we um hold to the call of the chair.

Uh Alder Woman Moore moves to hold the call of the chair.

Any objection on that motion?

Hearing none.

Did you want to add anything?

Hearing none, so ordered.

Thank you.

Thank you all very much.

Moving on to item six, file 25178 appointment of Karen Tyler as the community wellness and safety director by the mayor.

I do have a PowerPoint, but I no, I did not send that in, so I need to ask it.

I think we're gonna just this is the second time you've appeared before the committee.

I think we're just going to take questions that were relevant to setting this file back to committee.

I think channel 25 will come back and take the PowerPoint down.

Okay.

Mr.

Chair Is there some elders from that are participating remotely?

Alder Woman Moore.

Uh I just wanted the the previous PowerPoint.

Um, I don't know if it was shared out when we have to do that.

That's we'll uh upload it to the file when it's available.

That's perfect.

Thank you so much.

Welcome back from the mayor's office.

You want to introduce it?

Uh good uh morning.

Um committee.

Uh my name is Amber Danias.

Council liaison for Mayor Johnson.

Um here to uh reintroduce uh again Miss Karen Tyler, who the mayor is chosen to lead the um new department of community wellness and safety.

Um so I will turn it over to you for questions.

All right, thank you.

So this so this item has been before us before.

Um we'll start with questions uh well uh I think it'd be fair to uh give the uh interim director the uh uh mayor's appointment um an opportunity for an opening statement, and then we'll go to questions.

Thank you.

Again, good morning, or is it morning council members, committee members, council members?

Um thank you for the opportunity to appear again as you consider my appointment to serve as the director of the department of community wellness and safety.

I stand before you today, not only as a candidate for this role, but as someone who has dedicated nearly a decade of service to the city of Milwaukee through public health, violence prevention, and community wellness.

My professional foundation includes almost 10 years with the health department and over eight years in this office, where I have lived work ranging from disease intervention and contact tracing to complex citywide violence prevention strategies.

I held a bachelor's degree in business administration, which has strengthened my ability to lead operations, manage budgets, build systems, and ensure accountability and public service.

I am also deeply humbled by the broad support this nomination has received.

I have received letters of support from community members, community-based organizations, the National Office of Violence Prevention Network, the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, and the support of our commissioner of public health.

To me, that support reflects confidence not only in my leadership, but in the vision we all share for a safer, help healthier Milwaukee.

Beyond titles and credentials, what I bring to this position is range, lived experience, and an unwavering dedication to this city.

I have spent decades working in community with Milwaukee families.

I have sat on the floor with a mother crying after after the loss of her child to violence, helping to navigate unmanageable grief.

I have stood in neighborhoods after tragic tragedy, listening to residents, outreach workers, and community partners about what safety truly means.

I have also stood in spaces like this one before the common council, prepared to answer difficult questions, make date data informed decisions, and lead with transparency.

During times of leadership transition, I have consistently stepped forward to ensure this office remains stable, responsive, and focused on its mission.

When leadership changed, I did not step back, I stepped up.

I did what was necessary to maintain continuity, support staff, strengthen partnerships, and keep prevention efforts moving because our city cannot afford instability in this work.

I may not be the most polished public speaker, but what but what Milwaukee needs most in this moment is a leader who can relate to all people, from families in crisis to frontline staff to elected officials and to community stakeholders.

Our city needs someone who listens, who cares deeply, and who will work tirelessly every day to make our community safer.

I am committed to leading this department with a public health lens, grounded in community voice, healing, and data-driven strategies that address the root causes of violence.

This work is deeply personal to me, and it is a responsibility I do not take lightly.

I am prepared to lead with heart, discipline, and accountability, and to give everything I have to the people of Milwaukee because our families deserve safety, healing, and hope.

I respectfully ask for your support and the opportunity to continue serving.

And at this time, I I welcome your questions.

Well, thank you for that statement.

Thank you for that.

We've clearly received uh an avalanche of emails, letters, phone calls uh about uh this appointment.

Uh many are in support.

Uh a handful are in opposition.

Can you talk about um we we received a number of letters of support from organizations tied to the office?

Uh, were those uh funding organizations or funded organizations solicited for support?

Or how were how did we suddenly get so many letters of support uh two weeks ago?

I wouldn't say they were solicited.

I think people are watching uh this process and really and contacting me about how they can support.

Um I think so many are so as I reviewed all the letters, some I don't even really know, but they have watched my journey.

Um I'm very if you even look on social media, I have a lot of support there too.

I mean, I've been doing this work for decades, so I think this is a very high visible situation that's taking place right now.

Um, but I think it just speaks to the support I have, and especially from stakeholders.

I know that there was something said about that last time, but I think that speaks to the collaboration efforts that we have and that I have uh close relationships with partners that they're willing to support my leadership in this moment.

It's a lot easier to support if they're getting revenue from your department.

Um we'll start with questions.

Uh, older woman Moore asked to start off.

Thank you.

Um right, thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, first of all, I I I would like to just say um thank you for your time and commitment um and dedication to the department.

Um that's something for me that hasn't gone um unnoticed.

Um I just have a sort of just an opening statement that I just want to um share.

Um, I know there has been a lot of questions and confusion about this sort of appointment process.

I want to make sure that our community understands that this is the first time that the council has had an opportunity to vet candidates for this role.

Previously, the mayor's office had sole and complete appointing authority for this former office.

My colleague has um shared that um you know he wasn't necessarily in favor of it moving from an office to a department.

The train has already left the station, so you know, right now it's where we are right now.

Starting with the abrupt dismissal of Arnita Holliman, the administration has continuously made the best leadership decisions for their office.

Now, as a department, we have this unprecedented opportunity to determine the leadership of a department that is focused on one of the most important issues facing our city.

We have a duty and responsibility to ensure that candidates for this department and others are not only qualified but prepared to carry out their duties with the competence and integrity that our residents deserve.

I hold myself and my staff to a high ex high standard of service when it comes to my role as a council member, and I have that same standard for any appointed leader of a city department serving the residents of our city.

Because, as my colleagues can attest, when those services fall short, we are often the ones who get the calls from angry residents, frustrated business owners, community agencies, and activists.

From the airwaves to the town hall, community members don't hold back when sharing their concerns and how the city does business.

I'm not here to take a space to to take up space.

As the longest serving member of the department, there is a track record of performance that comes with an internal candidate that must be considered.

Excuse me, and this one, but we can only work with what the mayor has given us.

The difference between the last round and this one is our authority.

That starts with the leadership of every department that is hired and funded by taxpayer dollars to deliver those services, and that's a responsibility that I take seriously.

I would love to be able to support this appointment, but whether I do or don't will solely be based on my confidence in Miss Tyler, doing the role well and clear and clear support from the administration in sure ensuring her success.

But I'm really perplexed because I think that the department could have done a better job supporting you.

The times that you've been passed over, could have been opportunities for them to pour into your leadership and supporting you just being that whether it was an office or department, whatever, but just being a strong leader for the department that could have happened.

And you know, I think that my apology goes to their failure in not having in not being able to support you in the ways that could have been done.

And so that's my stance on that.

I think again, the only question that I have for you, Miss Tyler, is just communication.

Like you've been in the department for years, but just since the last just since the last time you were here, how many times have you communicated with the full council?

That's the question.

How many times have you communicated with the full council?

Provided an update.

Mr.

Chair.

No, I'm just I need her to answer just a question because it's but we sent this back because of funding.

This we uh we asked those questions the last year.

This is this is commute.

This is about her appointment and her role.

Older woman more has the floor.

She has to question.

Okay.

I just I just simply want to know how many times have you had the council questions too.

Okay, so we'll move it around the room.

Okay, thank you.

Um first I would like to clarify something.

I haven't been passed over multiple times.

So the one time that I did apply for this appointment is when I did um become a finalist.

Um I started my work with the office in 2017.

Um I started as a coordinator.

Yeah, I moved up to a manager and to an operations manager.

So I had progressive development in that way.

Um, most of the time, in regards to communication with the council, that wasn't necessarily my role, it was a director's role.

Sure.

So when I was in the though, Miss Tyler.

No, just that I I just needed to ask about the um when you were in the when you applied for the role.

Why didn't the administration give you the opportunity to lead during that time?

I I don't even think it was a it wasn't a department at that time.

No, it wasn't.

It was it was still the office at that time.

Why didn't the department not uh quick Amber Danius, a council lady's on for mayor Johnson?

Um and during that time it was asked by the council um and the community that we do move forward with a community session or a community listening session um and consider several candidates statewide uh nationwide you know local all inclusive and so during that time that is what the mayor committed to and he did and Karen did make it as a finalist um as well as two others who um were candidates outside of Milwaukee outside of Wisconsin so the short answer is that we heard from the council that you all wanted the mayor to consider more than just an internal candidate and that he should extend his search correct and Miss Danius um there were two external and one internal candidate and the mayor went with no one again there were some situations but the mayor then went with no one and then instead of choosing his internal candidate went with somebody that wasn't even on the ballot in a sense so I'm just trying I'm just trying to understand because I respect Miss Tyler and for her to have had so it's not numerous time so thank you for correcting me about that so the time that she did apply she was then looked past to another candidate that wasn't even considered so the qu so the question is why did the mayor then choose a candidate instead of choosing someone that has been with the division for several years and went through the process.

And went through the process that she went through the community meetings why did the mayor overlook her during that time if especially if the other two if they had if they had a um you know show gave it to someone else and it didn't work you still had she still made the top three right why did the mayor choose someone else okay I think it's an also just important to note um yes he did make a decision to move forward with Adam Purcell um we did not foresee this issue coming where he became a department and was no longer able to hold that position um and so we're back here and the mayor has felt like in that time of transition Karen has been the person that folks have depended on in that office to continue that office forward um and she was a valuable um asset in making sure that those things happened um which is one of the reasons why he landed back on choosing Karen he has faith that she's gonna continue to move the department forward I'm just still confused as why he didn't have faith in her before my question goes back to you Miss Tyler and I just simply wanted a uh a just very brief um and it wasn't about I forgive me for um interrupting you I just really wanted because I know other colleagues had um questions to ask as well I just wanted to ask about the communication since your um since holding the interim position since being here because a lot has transpired with the team takeovers there's been homicide there's a lot has transpired how much communication have you provided the full council as it as an updates so I have met with um council members individually but definitely moving forward I can update them on any initiatives or strategy that we consider no you have made no full communication whether it's an e an email I'm looking for communication as to updates no communication has been provided to the full council not to the full council no in regards to team takeover okay any other questions for now not at this time we'll do anything you may have an opportunity for a second round any other committee members right now that have questions alderman chambers thank you um I'll keep this brief we just literally heard a file previously from Milwaukee police department in regards to um you know their response to team takeovers and their opportunity to maintain public safety in the entertainment districts um this gives me a sense this giving me a bit of deja vu for my former colleague your predecessor Oliver is uh Otterman Burkowski and he was just asking you know where's O VP um DCWS is not I just say I got the floor no no no no somebody keep calling me um no caller ID it only happens when I'm in front of this body um with this issue so whoever it is please stop it's not it's not cute thank you sorry to interrupt no word um DCWS OVP O C W S or anything like that is not the Milwaukee police department um you know they're not gonna be able there they don't have the capacity they do not have the um the technology or the resources to respond to each and everything and have everything on file.

Now they we've heard in the previous files that their responses to the team takeovers and some promise keepers went to base order that was not even in the city of Milwaukee.

Um so I if that'sn't your leadership, thank you.

Um however, I just think it's very unfair that we are holding the particular individual to the fire of not having to reach out because I don't need day to day contact from you on your on your outreach um far as this because I put faith in your group's ability with the outreach of the community in the community that are here um to do what's best.

And if we need to interject and intervene, that's what we are here for.

We're here as the backstop.

So um, and I'm only speaking for myself and myself alone.

Um so when when we think of that, um, you know, that's where I'm at.

But we are here today solely because there were some concerns about funding within that that came out from Governor Evers.

That was the reason that everyone pounced on to send this nomination back to the committee, and I hope that that's what we discuss and do not regurgitate the same thing that we had in the previous cycle.

So that is my hope, Mr.

Chair, that we stick to the question then.

I'm I'm finishing up.

Okay.

It's a comment more than the question, thank you.

Um my hope is that we stick to the reason why we sent this, why we sent this back.

And that was because of the funding that we did not receive from Governor Evers and his administration.

Nothing more, nothing less.

You are within your right to do what you need to do, but if we're going to stay consistent, because what we talk about this all the time, consistency, we need to be consistent at this body to stick to why we sent this back to committee.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Appreciate your comment.

Uh do you have any questions for the nominee?

Uh I don't have a question for the nominee.

I'm perfectly fine.

Any other questions from the committee members?

At the appropriate time, I'll move for confirmation.

I think it's uh at the appropriate time.

Okay.

Uh I do want to acknowledge Alderman uh Westmoreland has joined us, President Perez has joined us.

Uh any other questions from committee members, Mr.

Chair.

Alderman Spider.

I guess just very briefly on that.

So, yeah, there was an award by the state OVP to several entities in the city, including Employment Milwaukee, uh OCWS at the time was unsuccessful in their grants application.

Could you just speak briefly about your involvement with that process?

Was that something that was handled by the previous director, or were you involved in in uh creating the grants um application?

What was the role there?

So uh the author of that proposal was Adam Purcell, and he his intention was to be highly collaborative, so it was almost basically a pass-through um funding um uh proposal anyway.

So we were going to um give additional funding to for Welfare Life, uh, Westcare, Wisconsin to expand outreach teams, as well as MPS and ONCOM.

I believe that's the four.

Yeah, so um basically that's what that was.

I did support him in assisting right the budget for that uh particular proposal, but I didn't uh it wasn't my concept for sure.

Okay, and then I have one question for the mayor's office.

There was a discussion on that.

We already had a two-hour discussion with um uh Ms.

Tyler, so I'm not looking to recreate that.

But there was some discussion, I had some confusion about how is the department gonna survive given their funding sources are dropping out, ARPA's dropping out, recast is looking bleak.

So the next the future of the department is going to be very different than in the past unless there is some supplementation with um dollars.

So the question is of course uh there will be an attempt to seek other grants to make up the shortfall, whether those are successful or not is a very open question.

So my I guess my question for the administration, either the budget office or Ms.

Danius is the mayor committing to fund the department at levels that it was funded last year and backfill it with levy dollars if needed.

And I'm not saying he should or you shouldn't.

I just want to know what's his view.

Uh good morning, uh committee Nickelette budget management director.

In short, the answer is yes.

I mean, I'm not here to commit to exact dollar amounts because we have a whole budget process.

We'll go through, we'll work with the council while we do that.

But these are core services, and the mayor's may is it there a priority for the mayor.

Uh obviously grant funding is preferred, uh, but levy funding um if if needed, uh, what will be made available to continue these services.

And what would be the shortfall if uh the nightmare scenario happens and no additional grant funding is secure, what would be the shortfall in levy dollars that would have to be made up?

Well, this will be part of our evaluation to prepare this budget to determine you know what the service level is, what the cost is.

It you know, did you just remind me what last year's yeah I can I mean in general I can refer you to the to the um service table in the budget document.

Because the lost grant we heard was mostly passed through funding and it wasn't administrative support.

Correct.

So that will I mean there's two issues here.

One is the 14 staffers who actually work in the Department of Community Wellness and Safety, but that is uh a minority of their overall budget, especially when you include their special purpose accounts and their grants.

So I mean if you look at the total, if you look at our our service summary table in the 2026 budget, you'll see inclusive of SPAs, so that includes the violence the 750,000 violence prevention SPA and the 200 or so thousand crisis response SPA, which if you're actually reading the budget, you've got to look at a different page.

But we try to put that all together in the service table in the in the summary documents, the narrative budget.

That's 2.3 million, and then grants, it's more of an art than the science, frankly, giving trying to annualize grants because they come in multi-year, they don't come in all on January 1, you know.

But our best estimate when we tried to look at uh total grants that includes ARPA, which obviously is about to expire, so that's really the main and the grant we're talking about today was would have been an additional ARPA grant.

So would have would have not would have been irrelevant to 27 anyway, the grant in under discussion today.

So certainly the end of ARPA being uh or ARPA having to be spent by December 31st, 2026 is gonna put pressure on several departments, but most especially this.

What was that number and that number?

I'm sorry, I was giving a long preamble and all you want to move the number.

2.8 million.

So two point so two point.

That's all grants, not just our all the grants, 2.8 million, 2.3 in levy support before.

Yeah, operating budget and special public accounts, yeah.

So that's uh 5.1 budget.

Yep.

And that if the nightmare scenario happens, 2.8 would have to be supplied from the levy to make the amount for next year.

There's no grants at all, then yeah, I suppose yes.

Right.

Okay.

Just one the ballparks are around three, just under three million dollars we're talking about here.

Okay, thank you.

Okay.

Um put it its questions in the first round.

Any questions from other council members?

Yeah, I'll just make a comment.

Um, Tyler, I I uh I think we we share some some lived experience when it comes to um gun violence and things of that nature.

And um I I know you've been through a process.

I just have to express my disappointment with the process.

You're not the first person where I believe the administration had someone in this position or ready to go in this position, took them back, and then after a process was in place, then came back again, and it gives us the impression or to blame us that we're the problem when I don't think that um if if if the process should work as we're told it should work, you would have been in the running from the very beginning and not overlooked.

So I just wanted to say that I appreciate what you do, and um I think you're a victim of a flawed process, which I've said from the very beginning when they went around the process with the community to put Mr.

Purcell there, that they just took the community out of it, the process out of it, and now we're back here and you're in this position, and I don't think it's fair to you, and I just wanted to express that Mr.

Chair.

Please, uh, thank you.

I wanted to just push back a little bit because as I said, um the mayor did choose to when he didn't necessarily have to choose to have a community process, which is where Karen and the two other um individuals went before um two different settings, one on the north side, one on the south side.

Um and they we did receive community input.

Um so I did want to say that that was something that the mayor did value.

Um and he chose to to do the process that way.

Yeah, I understand that.

But with that process in place and having candidates, if you whether you rank them or have them, and they went through their process, one person either got offered the job, didn't take it, whatever the case was that they didn't do it.

You had other candidates in the queue, and you went right around you just disregarded everything that had happened, and that and this isn't the first time that that someone is in that is in that position, close to being in that position, working the position, you take them out, it happened with the labor negotiator.

Right?

You put someone else in, had this process uh to put someone else temporarily in there, the chief of staff does when at the at the very beginning we said put her back, and she'll never take the job.

She'll never do it.

Thank you, and she did it.

And I don't think the process was fair to anybody.

Okay.

Oh, we have that on the record.

Any closing comments before uh the Mr.

Chairman before we go to the close.

Uh I would say that one advantage of having it be the department now is we have confirmation authority.

So uh Ms.

Danius said the mayor didn't have to have a public engagement.

He gifted that to the community.

We can insist on it now.

So that is an advantage going forward is if we feel the community engagement has not been robust enough, we can say, well, then we're not moving forward.

So I think that is an advantage of the process, and I think having the council involved is a good idea.

Um it had the unforeseen consequence lead from the city attorney's office, which nobody knew about, including apparently the city attorney's office back then.

Um and that might have affected things, but we are where we are right now.

So but I I would like to underscore the need to engage the community in this is vital.

Um the council is now a bulwark to ensure that that happens in the future, not just for this nominee, but for all future ones.

So thank you.

I will add that uh we do get gifts from the mayor's office on occasion.

Uh the surprise ones aren't always welcome, but um we do appreciate um collaboration whenever possible.

Mr.

Chairman.

Um, any closing counter just closing.

I I just have to underscore as well my colleagues' sentiments that we should be doing a better job, especially as government connecting and engaging community, not when the train has left the station, but that we value their input.

And we need to start doing things differently when it comes to that, right?

There's a lot of value that is added when we ask our communities input, when we engage and pull up pull our community in, when we ask what do they think, or when we ask what do you think this solution is?

Like that should be the norm.

It shouldn't be a gift, it should be the norm.

And we ask for that because we value this particular position.

And again, I underscore my colleagues' sentiments here about the process was completely circumvented when Ms.

Tyler was at the table in the first place.

So I get it, but we have to not bypass those sort of processes that have been put in place that we've asked for, but again, because it wasn't codified in words, now it is.

We have the opportunity to be able to do that.

Thank you so much, Mr.

Chair.

I'll I'll add that we value the position we value the people, but we depend on the results.

And the entire community depends on the result.

Um could uh any final statements, comments or questions?

Nothing on the board.

Um I I will acknowledge Alderwoman Cogs' joined us virtually.

Uh closing thoughts.

Sure.

I from I would just like to thank the council uh for their support and for uh the consideration of this appointment.

Uh I think you all may have seen that uh communication has um has increased for sure in regards to homicide notifications and different things like that.

I also want to say that we are working on sustainability, so we have already got it gotten a commitment from uh the Annie Casey Foundation for 2027, and so we'll have specific um numbers in regards to how much that investment will be, but we really just want to get out of this transition space so we can do the the work that you are counting on on us to do.

So thank you and I appreciate your time.

All right, thank you very much for coming back to committee.

Alderman Chambers has moved confirmation.

I'll ask for a roll call, please.

Otherwoman more?

No.

Other one uh Taylor.

Yes.

Other man spiker?

No.

Mr.

Chair Alderman Gallas.

Aye.

Three to two confirmation moves forward to the full council for consideration our next council meeting next Tuesday.

Thank you.

Thanks.

The next item on our agenda is item number seven, which uh we'll return to uh Chairman Spiker.

Thank you.

Thank you, Alderman Bergells.

Um item seven is file number two five zero nine five six.

This is an ordinance relating to noise variances.

It's sponsored by President Perez.

My understanding is that this item is uh needs a little more time, so uh Alder Moore would move that it be held to the call of the chair and hearing no objections, so ordered.

Um while the room clears, we can call the next item.

But we'll give it a minute to clear.

So the next item when folks are ready will be item eight, file number two five zero eight seven four.

This is our substitute resolution authorizing the expenditure of opioid settlement funds.

It is sponsored by Alderman Perez and President Jackson.

Again, we'll give it a minute.

Yeah, that was funny.

Um by President Perez and Alderman Jackson.

Uh we'll give it about 20 more seconds to clear, and then um we'll go to uh the sponsors starting with President Perez.

Uh can they pull up that door?

Oh, there we go.

All right.

I appreciate it, Mr.

Chair.

Uh I just looking forward to the presentation.

I think um we'll have some questions as we move forward.

Um appreciate the department bringing forward a plan.

Um I think many of us in the community are eager to figure out how this has an impact in our communities and how we work together, and just want to want to see this for the for the rest of the community to see.

Okay, very good.

Uh Alderman Jackson, do you have any comments to start?

I already did.

Okay.

Well, with that, then uh we'll turn it over to departments for brief um discussion, and then if the sponsors have any follow-up questions, feel free to jump in.

Thank you.

Um Mr.

Chair, I just have a clarifying question.

Are we responding to the original proposal or this substitute uh amendment that's been uploaded to the file?

Uh being offered.

Yes.

Okay.

Uh we will see if the it exists, then we will see if someone wants to offer it.

So do we have printed copies?

Oh, that's under the pile.

Okay.

Okay.

So this is uh proposed sub by Alder Jackson.

Uh uh.

Okay.

So Alder Jackson, would you like to have this one held?

We'll have to make a motion if we get copies.

Oh, sorry.

We can't discuss it if it's not moved.

If yeah, we'll see.

I'm just asking him if he would like to have this before us to discuss.

Yes.

And if so, okay.

Do I have a motion for this to be before us to discuss?

You can do with it whatever we want, but um a member would like to have his um proposed substitute discussed to have a motion in that regard.

So we can discuss it.

Oh no, absolutely.

Yeah, indeed.

Uh uh, okay.

Alder Taylor would move that this item be before us so that we can discuss it.

Are there any objections?

I'll object.

Uh Alder Burgells, one objection.

Um then so ordered.

So this item is to be discussed.

You can do dispense with it how we will and move back to something else if we wish, but it is now before us.

So uh Alder Jackson, would you like to say how this differs from what was originally in the file?

Uh the difference is uh we will be funding the MORE program to the end of the year.

Um think LRB work with uh the fire to get that get those figures in.

So that uh actually line it up with the budget process.

And aside for 250K to a independent third party to audit the funding expenditures up until this point.

Okay, and if the LRB is here, they can come to the table if there's any more clarity, but it that looks fairly straightforward.

So this would uh fund MORE till the end of the year, as Alder Jackson said, and then reserve 250,000 in settlement funds to basically do um some program review of the existing programs, proposed programs, um to judge their effectiveness uh, I guess before scaling up.

Um with that uh to the departments.

Uh do you have any comments on this?

I know this is substantially different from the original uh file.

Sure.

Uh I guess I'm I'm coming before this committee to seek some clarification.

Um as we've been communicating for over the last year, we were putting this plan together.

And uh we've also had some allocations of um opioid funds to do some of the initial work, but the majority of that money has gone unspent because we did not have a concrete plan and we didn't want to expend money uh just erroneously throwing that money out there.

Um I am confused given that we put forth a three-year plan that took a year to get put together that looked at the continuum of services that are offered in the city and set forth I'm sorry, Mr.

I'm sorry to interrupt, Mr.

Chair.

The health department isn't funded in this proposed substitute.

So I'm unclear why the health department's commenting on the sub.

Oh, yep, good point.

Well, I assume because the sub doesn't fund them for the three years, so it's a fair, I mean, I'm happy to give you the space to discuss, but so the the changes and and we can actually cut this short by by going to the sponsor.

My understanding of the intents is uh there was a plan, uh a three-year plan by the health department, a three-year plan by the fire department to expend um opioid funds to the tune of 17 million dollars.

We had a meeting about that, so heard it and discussed.

There was some concern with members about whether we were scaling up before we looked back and evaluated.

So the Mori program, uh, given where funding is at where they have spent through most of their dollars, um the idea was to fund it through the end of the year.

Um health department to put a pause for at least a cycle and see whether there could be some discussions about some evaluation, um, looking at what other cities have done, it's kind of all over the map.

But in general, I I believe the thought is before you spend 17 million dollars on what you think will work in the future, you should evaluate what has been accomplished thus far and look at um possibly bringing in a third party to evaluate some of these expenditures in in the health department and see whether that's been effective.

Now, this could spark a larger conversation about what evaluation has already been done.

We had the LRB do an analysis.

There was some evaluation of the activities of the programs.

It was a little slim on the outcomes.

Um, so that would be something a conversation to be had, I guess, with the health department and the sponsors about what sort of um evaluation would be more robust before scaling to the uh the full um seventeen million dollars or whatever figure we're we're talking about here.

Um is there anything else, I guess, from the sponsors?

Yeah, Mr.

Chair, yeah, president press.

I just wanted to add at at the appropriate time I want to be added as a co-sponsor, and yes, um I did meet with both the health department and the fire department.

Um we had a robust discussion.

I continue to have questions about um intervention, and uh I wanted to work with uh Alderman Jackson on the sub and making sure that uh more as you said, which is in place and moving forward, still move without a beat and figuring out um some opportunities to get better engaged that I think from my neighborhood with some of the nearby stakeholders and to figure out how they participate um and get a better understanding of the RFP process that's on the table and moving forward.

And so I just I needed more time, that's what I thought uh we could work on this for another cycle.

And there's just a lot of questions.

I mean, I I got the proposal for the three-year plan and met for the first time um a week ago and want to continue to dialogue and figure out how to understand it in an even deeper way in the in the impact it's gonna have and really to measure um some of the outcomes for what I'm seeing in my neighborhood, and just have more clarity on that.

Okay.

Um there questions from committee members.

Uh Mr.

Chair?

Uh Alder Bergels.

I know I I kind of cut off the health department, but um I'll ask a question so you can maybe finish your thought and and get back on to it.

But um with this proposed substitute, you have no funding for the next three years for this program.

What happens to the staff and the people you've hired?

Uh that that's a great question.

And I I also and then how does that impact the community by you having an interruption of funding?

We're this this proposal substitute pulls the plug on your department and your response to the opioid crisis.

Yeah.

With money that the cities received as a settlement for the opioid crisis.

This makes no sense to me.

Please walk me through the dollars.

I I would agree.

And uh just for this committee's awareness, if you didn't already know this plan for the three-year allocation to both the fire and the police department or uh the fire and the health department, way before our board of health.

And uh just for this committee's awareness, if you didn't already know this plan for the three-year allocation to both the fire and the police department, um fire and health department way before our board of health, it was tweaked slightly given their uh guidance to have ensuring that there were uh community groups that would be funded through that, and you know, over five million of the allocation to the uh health department is to fund community-based work.

So we've been very clear with that.

We've also been very clear that we've already done the due diligence on putting this plan together.

We provided all of that due diligence, we've explained it uh ad nauseum, and now we're being told we want to waste 250,000 dollars to what evaluate the evaluation that we already did and mapping out what needs to be funded in the city.

I I'm not sure how the evaluation works at this point, to be honest with you.

So but you're putting forth an amendment to fund an evaluation that you don't understand.

Is that what you just uh let me try to understand?

Director Totorite is coming up.

Well, that's what he just said.

Well, we're gonna keep decorum here, and so we're gonna engage each other respectfully, and we may have a policy disagreement, but we're gonna keep it.

Okay, so we we heard from the um thank you.

I think um, so then my next question is to the to the fire department.

Um, what does the change in having a three-year forecast of funding available for MORI uh change in your department?

My understanding of it is that Mori currently is funded mostly with or um facilitated mostly through overtime, uh voluntary overtime, and that your plan had been to uh add regular staff so that firefighters aren't working extra overtime to make this program a success, a sex a successful one.

Are you still able to hire full-time staff with a one-year with well with eight months of funding left for 2026?

Uh Alderman Burgelis, I appreciate the question.

So in 2022, the common council unanimously resolved that the opioid settlement funds should go towards MORI and harm reduction.

That's the two of us and all of the good people that we're lucky enough to work with.

Since that day, it appears as if all we do is argue with the same council, well, different members, to be fair, but we're we're we we set out on that task on the MORI half gangbusters, let's go do this.

And as the grant money started to dry up, we were largely grant funded for the better part of five or six years, four or fighters.

As that starts to dry up, because they're not just gonna keep throwing grant.

I mean, it sounds like a wonderful idea if we could get more grant money, but they're not gonna study the same thing over and over again, which is what most grants are coming down to.

So opioid settlement funds.

We then start to pivot as the problem, the scourge of overdose and fatal overdoses continues over this this set of time.

We continue scaling up under the belief we're doing that with the full support of the common council.

But every time any words related to this program come up, here we are.

Uh so what does it do for me?

You want to talk about inefficiency for us to be able to create a position, get it through finance and personnel, get get the equipment, get RFP through purchasing.

That eight months is a drop in the bucket in that world.

So this will keep us alive with the present staff we have.

That is what it will do for us.

Well, we are hoping for, which is why coming into 2025, as we were discussing it in 2024, we put forth a five-year plan so that we could create a coherent thread, an arc that could be tracked and followed.

But what you will presently be evaluating is a program that has been stitched together.

Meeting after meeting after meeting, every time it comes up.

If you remember the book from the 90s, he's just not that into you.

That's kind of what this feels like.

Like if you don't want us involved, that's fine.

But we need to have some coherent path moving forward that does not involve every time my department, who is out there today saving lives, has to come here and be beat up at the table.

I appreciate your call for decorum.

I fully support it.

And I hope we can do that moving forward.

We're saving lives out here.

And this the studies.

And cut me off if I'm out of order for drifting topics here a little bit.

But the plan that we have worked so hard alongside, and I give much credit to the health department for the larger architecture of the plan is founded on the very best practices from around the nation that you have all referred to in various meetings.

The you know the it's based on a document called the Principles to Guide State and Local Spending of Forthcoming Opioid Litigation Settlement Funds.

That's 31 leading organizations, which I will not pain you to read them all.

So it's based upon best, and that's just one of the studies that was studied and incorporated into this larger continuum of care.

I will own for our part, and I've I think I've I've spoken with people directly on this.

As we had our head down and we were doing the work, we probably could have called and informed you.

And I I apologize for that.

That does not mean that does not mean the work does not need to be done, and that this is not crucial.

So I sit before you and I beg you.

We got this 15 minutes ago.

At this table, I emailed you earlier this week and I asked each and every one of you, please, if there's something come and let us know.

I got this at this table.

So we would love to have an open dialogue, but can it be in two directions?

We are doing our best right now.

There are people dying in the streets.

That is the reality of it.

And if I seem to thank you.

Thank you.

Um thank you, Chief.

Um, so I addressed uh I had three questions and kind of three parts of the substitute.

Um, why the health department's not getting funding from it, why uh the fire department's funding is cut by two years uh for the MORI program in this proposed substitute.

The third part of it is a quarter of a million dollars reserved for an audit.

So my question is to the author.

Um, what difference would in outside independent audit provide, or what valuable information would we be looking to get that an internal audit from the computer's office would be unable to provide us?

You think they're free.

You think the controller will be able to do a better audit?

The comp controller is already we have professional auditors in the comptroller's office that do audit different departments in city government continuously.

What what better audit are we going to get from a with a quarter of a million dollars we get it's up to?

I think it probably only be like a hundred grams, it's up to I'm not the expert in that dependency, not the expert in that department, but the audit is an independent third-party audit.

The computer's independent.

As well.

I I don't think I think that the computer gets into the details of the programming versus the financial part of the audit.

Yeah, we might well granted we don't have epidemiologists in the comptroller's office.

I'll I'll give you that one.

All right, thank you, Matt.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

Um, and I guess a couple quick clarifications.

I uh I believe the 250 up to was for a program evaluation, not for an audit of existing practices.

It was to see whether um the you know the health department has spent you've spent approximately half of the money that's been allocated to you thus far.

So to see whether those um investments have yielded the products one would hope for to see whether the investments for the I think it's something like eight point something in in the three-year plan, whether those are investments that have um a track record as far as what we see in other cities for having the effect.

My understanding, and I think it might have been mischaracterized as for the sub to basically put a pause on a cycle for the health department um funding to have a more robust discussion, especially around the community-based organizations and the process for selecting that and whether there's been adequate communication with the all-demand offices to make sure that the people who are most directly impacted by the scourge of the opioid crisis, um, that we're having conversations with them about because there are a number of groups out there.

Um, and Aldermanic office will have um a knowledge base that perhaps is lacking at the 50,000 feet level.

So I know a lot's been said, uh, but my understanding is the idea is to posit a cycle while we engage in those conversations around the CBOs.

Um understanding MORI needs to be funded uh through the end of the year for sure, and the question moving forward is the three-year plan and having a more robust engagement with the council.

So I understand that uh waiting a cycle is is frustrating.

Um, but the proposal as I understand it is to hold off a cycle, have that engagement with um the council on the health department side about the community-based organizations and some of the other pieces of it.

So that's my understanding.

So I I don't know that it's a fair characterization to say it's a founding clear of something.

But anyway, that's that's a discussion, you know, worth having, I guess.

Mr.

Chair.

Why wouldn't we just hold the item for a cycle and have those discussions?

Well and have that collaboration which the fire department is in in danger of running out of money.

So we have 20,000 dollars remaining.

So 25.

So I believe the the fear was if you held it a cycle that you might put that work in danger.

And so giving the chief the surety of getting through the end of the year, I I believe was the rationale for that.

But then also skimming a quarter of a million dollars.

Uh that's an interesting characterization.

But um Alder Taylor, did you have any questions?

Okay.

Any other questions?

So uh yes, uh, Mr.

Chair, I just want to make sure um uh I have a little clarity on this.

Um so right now, what we're what's proposed is this sub that we need to vote on.

Yep, the sub before us would have uh funding for Mori through the end of the year, 250 up to lay set aside for an independent evaluation, and then would remain silent yeah in the analysis it does.

Yeah.

Um, and then uh with the understanding that you know, in the next uh cycle there may be further conversations between the health department, the sponsors, council members, about what that three-year plan or any plan um might look like moving forward.

Thank and um just the question then back to um either probably the health department um for the no, let me ask for either of you.

Um is the primary issue with the sub the 250 for the review and evaluation, or you all don't like the sub.

I hear you know, from what I'm hearing from Dr.

Shorteritis is you know the the 250 is well I'll answer first uh if if that's right, Doc.

Um I'm just trying to understand.

I I we had no understanding whatsoever what was contained in this sub, so we're catching up in real time.

We had a general idea this there's some of these topics were coming.

Um I will say I I I think that uh boy, in my experience, the comproller has audited all kinds of stuff in my department every year.

They give us a list of things, they're digging into everything.

So I I don't know if that's an option perhaps for cost saving, but just they're they're in all my business, and that's fine.

They do it, they're they're they're fair evaluators.

Um at the risk of looking a gift horse in the mouth because you've this sub lets us stay alive for you know the rest of the year, at which point again we're going to be back here arguing about things that I don't have I don't have a crystal ball to tell you exactly if option A or option B or C is empirically the best.

But what we are excellent at on the fire department is a concept called satisficing, and what's satisfying is we can die by paralysis by analysis, or we can make a decision and take an action and move forward.

And that's what we have been doing.

Again, we thought with the common council's blessing, I thought with the proposed item that the president and Alderman Jackson submitted for inclusion on the agenda one week ago.

And now I have to stump a little bit on behalf of the health department.

The things that you are asking for are codified already.

We don't get to pick what the procurement process is or what the RFP process is for community involvement.

This is the first time I've seen significant investment uh by way of planning, at least here.

There's almost five million dollars to the groups you're talking about.

A hundred percent.

These are gonna be crucial groups, but work not none of us get to pick the winners and losers on that.

We can just create the conditions by which they can be, you know, put in a bid or uh a request for information, whatever format it goes out under, but that's all handled by city purchasing.

We don't dictate that.

And so I've I just want to be cautious that we're not like saying community groups, but then like there's some magical way to just hand money over.

We have to we have to create the conditions.

We would love to do that with you.

But the prevention angle and the advocacy angle and the harm reduction, etc.

etc.

etc.

That is largely in the health department's wheelhouse.

We are we are one tiny slice of this.

I would advocate strenuously that this entire plan, and I'll I'm off topic here because we're now on a sub, the entire program as submitted be afforded the ability to move forward so that we can begin work.

Um and there was one question.

I guess when we had our meeting, I had asked questions about how this coordinates with the county efforts and just been communication since then.

That is also a point of discussion is the city just has one piece of this.

The county has a larger funding stream and a different emphasis.

So asking for clarity about coordination with that, that was also a topic of a discussion.

That's something also outstanding that could perhaps be filled in in uh a future discussion.

Mr.

Chair, is it actually outstanding?

Because we did provide information about uh one of the specific assets about recovery efforts that the county is providing, and we provided a detailed response to that.

So I'm unaware of another outstanding is that the piece that's in the file you're talking about.

The question that you asked of why there's only uh small dollar amount to the recovery groups, we provided that answer to you.

And there it would be helpful to have the county, and I understand the county's undergoing some change now with Mr.

Lapham being relieved of his position, but um from the meeting it sounded like there wasn't uh department head to department had coordination on this.

This is where you had Ms.

Narvi involved on the that is not true.

Shakita and I communicate regularly.

Okay, we had that discussion in the meeting.

But anyway, I'm sorry, Aldermore, you weren't concluded.

I guess I think I'm uh have a little bit more clarity on right now.

We are looking at moving what's before us, correct?

Yep, yeah.

The file before us would basically uh put a pause on any three-year plan, have a one-year plan or for the remainder of 26 for Mori, and then delay a cycle of that fuller conversation.

And uh also I guess the the piece that is new is um setting aside money for uh a program evaluation, not an audit by the controller, but a program evaluation of some of the things that would be stood up under this.

Mr.

Chair.

Um hang on.

Uh Alder Moore, does that clarify?

It does.

Okay.

Um hang on just one second.

Do other members have questions about this item?

I'm I'm listening right now.

Okay.

All right.

Um did we want to ask any questions of the department to seek clarity or um Alder Chambers isn't here?

Okay, then I'll kick it back to the sponsors if there's any clarity you would add to this discussion.

No, I just you know um because I just think deeper in this.

I have more questions that I couldn't um that I just need to answer to when I'm looking at community members.

I do want to see something move forward.

I do uh believe the health department is is doing some great work.

Um I'm just not ready to vote either today or if I were in committee or on council for the plan to go through as is, and that's why I asked for some more time.

Okay.

Um I mean, I guess what I've seen in the past is if we're talking holding a cycle for there to be a kumbaya moment, then next cycle.

But um, yeah, uh the sponsors have proposed a sub that would basically put a pause on things for one cycle.

Mr.

Chair, I I won't need more than a cycle.

I mean, either we're we get in a room and just get some clarity on some of the things that have been brought to my attention in recent days, and we can just figure that out or um you know, hear it again next cycle, and the committee and the council could move forward.

Okay, needed very good.

And I just so people are clear, I'm deferential in this regard.

This impacts the city.

I care very much about the city.

Uh it doesn't impact my district as much as as President Press and Alderman Jackson's as well.

Uh Alder Taylor and then Aldermore.

Okay.

So yeah, as I sit here and make my decision.

Um so I guess this is to the sponsors.

Are you are you saying that that if we adopt this um that you will be buying more time as you get this evaluation done?

No, I for me it's um I need some clarity on a couple issues with intervention and our role, maybe the counties will have some clarity, defining some outcomes, some of the RFP.

I just need as I talk to my stakeholders, I want some clarity on that.

Um I needed a cycle.

If this body decides uh to move forward as is, then that's the decision they make.

I just can't be ready um now to to do that.

But so this evaluation is going to give you that clarity.

I the the valuation is just for as we were digging into stuff, we looked at evaluation opportunities and thought we should include it now early on.

Um if part of the process says we don't need it, or we have a different way, or the controller's office satisfies um what we can do, then that'd be a different conversation.

But for me, I just I need a cycle to figure some stuff out.

Okay.

Mr Mr.

True.

Um I believe Alder Moore has that was a question for the sponsor.

So Alder Moore, you have a question.

I I I just wanted to um please just ask perhaps of you all.

Um if let's say we don't go through with this and we go with the original plan, what President Perez is asking, does that preclude us from having those conversations with you all?

No.

Okay.

Cause you know, there was some questions that I had as well as just particularly on the prevention side, because that's the part that I am most interested in.

Um how do those you know, how are those dollars gonna be deployed?

And I and I'm sure that a lot of that still hasn't been codified as of um yet.

So um it so okay, so that's one thing.

Um the the second thing is if we do go through with this no no no time.

If we wait, if we wait to hold it, um would the fire department be able to still continue its work because it's going to be more than a few cycles because it still has to go through council for the approvement.

Will the fire department still be able to fund the program during that time?

So the fire department will be able to fund one tiny slice in the continuum of care, our slice, the Maury slice.

Correct.

And that's that's caught a f I mean that's in this sub here.

But if we hold it though, Chief, that's what I'm saying.

If we hold it, would yeah, if you if you held it, then they would run out of money.

Yeah, it's I'm not a parliamentarian, so if this gets I if the sub passes, then they would have money through the end of the year.

Got it.

Okay.

Mr.

Chair.

Mr.

Chair.

Yeah.

Uh Alder Cox has a question that might be relevant to this.

We haven't heard from Alder Cox yet.

So uh please Alder Cox.

Yeah, um to pin you back on where I think other one and more was going though.

Um Chief, if this doesn't pass today, will you run out of money before it would pass the next time?

Or a version of it will pass the next time next month or you know, at the next hearing.

So short answer, yes, medium answer is I have twenty thousand dollars left, and some of our most recent parallel stuff has not yet cleared.

So I guess the math on that is I'm at about zero, so yes, I will run out of money.

So I'm not on the committee, but Mr.

Chair, would it not be possible if there are concerns about needing more time for the rest of it?

It seems like there can be things to be clear on support of the existing uh program through the rest of the year.

Could not the server for you being amended to just include that?

Um and the rest taken up um whether to support the three years, whether to do uh uh uh 250,000 and all of that.

Because I think the one thing that it seems to be clear that people supported the existing program and a need for it to go to at least the end of the year, and it would seem to me because it's already included in this sub that it could be amended to just have that part so at least that's done while other conversations take place.

That's just a thought.

I'm not on a committee, just on it out there.

Okay, and your your thought is to strip it further still to just have the Mori funding to the end of the year and putting on pause the 250 for the broader discussion.

Is that what you're suggesting, Alder Cox?

Yes.

Okay.

So that's that's to the sponsors.

If we just want to focus it on getting more through the end of the year, give the three-week pause, leave the rest for the further discussion working on it.

So Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

Yep.

Uh were you before Peter?

Okay.

Uh Alder Burgels.

Thank you.

Um, so if we don't fund the health department programming, um as proposed in the substitute that's before us, what happens to the health department's program?

I having just received this amendment, I can't fully tell you what that's gonna do.

Um I'm a bit confused how the level of engagement and communication to the folks that are sitting here at this table has been clear and has answered the questions, and there was no communication to me after those conversations that this was an issue until 15 minutes before this committee.

So I can't answer that question.

All right, so all right, thank you for that.

Uh the sub is before us, Mr.

Chair.

I'll move to reject the sub.

I think that we need to uh return to the original file that was presented and circulated uh and shared with departments and the public uh and the council prior to today.

If there are changes in that uh allocation that we need to revisit moving forward, the council has every right and ability to do that now or 35 months from now.

Um this is really just unusual to have this come in at the last minute with no input, no collaboration.

Um if we need to change something, let's change something.

But I'm very fearful of interrupting the health department's efforts on the opioid crisis.

This does not affect my district like it affects other districts, but I cannot support interrupting the continuum of care and the programs that this council has already set in place.

We have to fund this.

We don't have a different substitute in front of us.

If we don't approve the substitute, uh we can certainly uh consider the original file, and if we need to tomorrow or a year from now, adjust those allocations, we certainly have that right and privilege to do so.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

So you made a motion.

Clarification for the LRB.

So there are I believe of the 1.5 allocation, there's roughly 750 left for the health department.

Um have to confirm that for me, but yes, so that was my understanding.

It was 1.47, and I believe there's something like 750.

So we have money.

So there is money there to the tune of 750, I believe.

Yeah.

Um, so okay.

Mr.

So uh just briefly before I go to your chief.

Uh so again, if the districts that are Alder Burghells like me stated that his district isn't uh as directly impacted, of course, we all both care about the city as a whole.

I would tend to be deferential to my colleagues whose districts are more impacted if they want more time to discuss this, but you know, that's just me.

So um Alder Taylor, you had yes, okay, Alder Taylor.

Yeah, so um I I guess I was trying to figure out too how essential it was to have this um 250,000 set aside for an evaluation.

Um whether we do that or not, I do think that we um I agree with Alderman Burgellis that we don't want that break in service.

So um I don't want to I don't want to lose any care that we can give.

Um so uh I guess Alder Woman Cox asked how soon would you run out of money?

Um we meet once a month, so we'll be meeting again next month.

Can't we um redo this?

Make sure that you guys are good to the end of the year so we can decide because I I guess I'm still trying to understand why if the comp troller's office can do the evaluation, what would be the difference between this 250?

And I haven't gotten a I'm not real clear on that yet.

So I don't want to say no, we don't need this if I'm not real clear on it, but I also don't want to lose service that you guys can't provide.

So I think we need um a little more time if we have it.

And we're not gonna this is not gonna be held off to the end of the year, so I think that um we just need a little more time, kind of figure that out, but I do want to make sure that you guys get funded to the at least to the end of the year before we make that decision on that three year that's that's what I'm understanding is that they want this evaluation to decide on that.

That's that's what I'm understanding is that they want this evaluation to decide on that.

But until that is all kind of figured out, I I don't know.

I'm just you know, I do want to make sure you have funding so we don't lose service.

Um when you say you are you talking about the fire department or the health department and the um because this what we're looking at is funding both, right?

For three years.

Is that the original?

So under right now, this what this is proposing is to take the fire department to the end of the year.

Yeah, it would take the Mori to the end of the year because they're about to run out of money, and uh, I guess to Mr.

Hillard, the the health department has 750 in the kitty of the 1.47 allocation or thereabouts um to you know that should make them three weeks for sure.

But um did were you able to confirm that?

Yeah, so that that's based on the um the spreadsheet that we got from the health department.

Um if I could connect the memo back really quickly so I can reference the exact number.

Um yes, according to the um the spreadsheet that we got, there is still um approximately 719,000 dollars remaining that's allocated to the health department.

Um then just could I briefly clarify what what the LRB has been asked to do with regards to the evaluation as well?

Um because just to clarify, the um at least our understanding is what we've been tasked with is now find organizations that would be capable of carrying out in evaluation of a large public health program like this.

Um so this is not something that would be done within the next week or anything like that.

This is more of a long-term identify who could do this and then approach them and see if they are able to and willing to do it.

So it's not uh there's not an immediacy to it.

Um so I I guess I'm understanding that we can possibly, according to what Alderwoman Cogs has said, is just strip that portion out and just make sure that you guys are funded to the end of the year until we sort things out.

Yeah, the the 250 would be setting aside money for a program evaluation if you know you look out at the uh folks in the space out there decide that's not an adequate allocation, you could roll that back at that point.

But this would reserve it now if folks want to wait for the larger discussion.

Um that's up to the sponsors whether they would advocate for that.

But if if you just want to make it um focused on uh on the MORI piece, then you would make that amendment and leave the 250 aside for the larger discussion.

With with the understanding the LRB could still proceed to see who is in that space.

And my understanding is, and I know the health department feels like they have a a good handle on on the program, this would be seeking um, I guess somebody outside of the health department to evaluate the health department's work in this regard.

But again, can be part of a larger discussion.

So I'm sorry, Alder Moore, you had been in the queue.

Yeah, I just um particularly around the on the prevention side and and and so as long as this process doesn't preclude us from coming back to the table.

So if we look at um, I love what um Alderman Coggs um was sharing as far as um what do we call it, editing or uh as far as this particular substitute.

I just want to make sure that we have an opportunity to come back to the table to talk because summer is upon us.

Um that's where we see things spike, right?

So we're gonna need to get our partners together, how that RFP process is gonna work, that sort of thing.

But um the support that will be needed um for summer is one of my primary um concerns.

So as long as we're able to come back to the table um to be able to discuss that, that was one of my preliminary things.

So you're saying it just making sure I'm understanding Aldermore that you as part of this discussion before next cycle, you would like to have a discussion with the health department about whether the prevention side of things was adequately funded in this proposal.

I it is adequately funded.

I'm just trying I just want to know how that process is going to be outlaid to our um community partners because we have a variety of community partners small and large.

I don't want our process to be so cumbersome that it Xs out those that are literally on the ground doing some of this work, and again, when I'm talking about the prevention side, um it encapsulate encapsulate a lot of the work that goes into supporting some of our young people.

And I'm trying to also be mindful and respectful of you know what my colleagues are asking for.

Um I do have some questions around you know the review, the cost for the review and evaluation.

I you know, I I can't I don't have enough information to even speak to that, but definitely want to make sure that the the program, the Mori program is supported um until the end of the year.

So that those are the things that are for me that is sort of going through my mind.

But I understand that my colleagues, you know, have questions as well and want to, you know, give the space for that to be for that to happen and then come back to the table to um discuss the rest of the funding.

Okay.

Thank you.

Made a motion.

Yeah, the motion to uh defeat the file.

So is reject the sub.

Right, the sub.

Um so if there's a motion to amend, then we can consider that.

But um but okay.

Um so would you accept it as a friendly amendment if Alder Moore moves to strip the the 250 and just have it the clean MOI through the end of the year bit?

Would that be a better thing to have before us?

I don't know if that sits well with the sponsors again.

Could add it back in in the next three-year or three uh week cycle.

So if that motion or if I can put that motion on the table, um, but it would be up to my because my colleague um would have to rescind his motion, but if if that's something that will be amenable.

An amendment would take precedence, no?

Yeah, we're just we're we'd be amending what's before us so that what would be before us would be something more slender.

So any problem with that.

Okay.

So Alder Moore would move.

I don't know if the sponsors are would the sponsors be amenable to that just to kick off that conversation till later.

The 250.

So Alder Cox had suggested just make it clean, just have it more e funding through the end of the year, fold in that 250,000 program evaluation piece into our larger discussion of over the next three weeks over the next cycle about what this whole package should look like.

That'll work because Chris I had a solid numbers at the time.

Yeah, okay.

So he'll have an opportunity to outreach.

So uh I think this would be a simple amendment then.

So Alder Moore would move that uh the file before us be amended so that what is before us is just the funding MORE through the end of the year, stripping out the the 250 funding up to 250 funding and settlement funds.

Um Mr.

Hillard, is that relatively clear?

Yeah, no, okay.

Understood.

So that's a simple amendment.

We don't need that in writing.

This isn't council.

It's relatively clear what's being proposed here.

So then what is properly before us then is the proposal to fund MORE through the end of the year, leaving everything else uh for discussion for a later day.

Um Alder Bright, so you'd still like to move against that.

Um I'll I don't have a motion anymore on the amendment.

Okay.

So the on the amended substitute.

Okay.

So the amended substitute before us funds MORE through the end of the year skips uh the two fifty piece.

Um so are there further questions about that?

I wanted to give the chief a a chance to weigh in on the amended version.

Okay.

Chief.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um I think we sh we we sit before you are ready to answer any questions that you have.

I think our our proposal is is information rich.

I think it is founded on the national best practices.

Uh and to address the uh if if you'll just give me a little bit of levity here, we brought a lot of people here specifically to answer those questions for you here.

I have our medical director, Dr.

Ben Weston, who represents the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management EMS, and is directly tied into their opioid uh uh and overdose response efforts.

I have my Mori team here.

I have our peer support team here, uh members of our peer support team.

And more importantly, so lest we not forget what we're talking about here.

We have two people here who are alive today because of the Mori program.

People who we have invested time and energy in and who are sitting here today ready to testify on our behalf.

That's just on the fire department side.

I know the health department's brought other people along.

We have we have long we have long heard at this table uh that don't you guys talk to each other stove piping.

This so now we're now we're talking to each other, and now we're being restove piped by this motion.

This entire plan really really is nose to tail.

And I and I I love the fact that we get to stay alive till the end of the year until we have the next argument.

That's great.

But this entire plan, I mean, there's a lot more that needs to be happening right now, and that just comes to a full stop now.

So uh with that, so Alder uh Moore has the so the amendment the motion to amend has been made.

Alder, we're losing members here.

Uh Alder Taylor's left the room, but uh do I have a motion on that uh sub that's before us, which is the funding of Mori till the end of the year, the intent being to take this up again in three weeks with uh looking at the more robust plan.

Um there is a level if if members have had a chance to look in the file, there is a level of specificity with respect to FTEs in the Mori proposal that isn't quite there with the health department proposal.

I know last time we had discussed this back in 24, there was a very detailed breakdown of the FTEs and where the money would be going.

It's a little less clear now in the current version, but that can be corrected, I'm sure, by next cycle as well.

So, Aldermore, do you have a motion with respect to the um amended file before us?

As far as moving through with the amended motion, um I just uh just for clarity, I just want to you know share that um for me, this is just me hearing what my colleagues are saying and trying to come to a middle ground.

Um this definitely doesn't preclude the um Mori program because again it's a small slice of it, and that's how I'm looking at it from being fully funded.

Uh but there is some conversation that I would love that are uh um authors, you know, some of the things that they brought up, but for me, where my stance is and you know, where I'm more interested is sort of the community um strategy on what this looks like and just getting some questions.

And so I think I I believe that we can do that um within the next few weeks to be able to get those questions um answered so at least you know my colleagues were able to provide the space for them to get some of those answers as well as any of our colleagues that also isn't here.

So this was probably the best um you know way for us to be able to look at a win-win for now and then be able to come back to the table with the full fund um full version of what this what this is.

But I I just want to be able to figure out how to move forward.

Okay.

So is that a motion in there?

Yes, I'm putting my amended.

Okay, before we get to a motion, uh recognize the motion, but if you uh we're in the motion so you can discuss whatever you want to discuss.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um I'm sorry, the chief's head's a little big.

I didn't see our chief medical examiner or chief medical director from Milwaukee County here, Dr.

Ben Weston.

Um I would like to hear from him uh so I can better understand a perspective for the countywide impact of delaying the three-year allocation.

Okay.

Uh if the medical director wants to speak briefly on that, um again, we're we're uh approaching the one o'clock hour here, so it would have to be brief.

This isn't a full discussion of the three-year plan.

But if you wanted to say what would happen if we're gonna do that.

Well, my question would be well, what would what is the impact if we only fund MORE through the end of the year as opposed to funding that and the health department's programming for three?

For right for right now, correct?

For the next three weeks.

Well, that's what we're doing.

Okay.

So what will yeah, so Dr.

Weston, thank you for coming.

Uh please introduce yourself.

Obviously, we've spoken many times, appreciate your expertise.

If you could speak to the um what the impact would be of a delay of three weeks um in not caring for the three-year plan proposed by the health department.

Sure.

Uh I'm Ben Weston.

I'm uh associate professor at the medical college of Wisconsin and the chief medical director for uh EMS for the county and then the Milwaukee Fire Department.

Um I think uh a couple quick thoughts, and I'm happy to expand.

Um I think program evaluation is really important.

Um, and I think when when you're putting this much money towards something, it's really important to understand.

Are we really making a difference?

I think the challenge is that uh we could name them off, but it's the the Institute for Health and Humanities, the comprehensive injury center, uh the substance use research center have all done evaluations that frankly probably cost a lot more than 250,000 of these programs and shown shown promise and probably more I'm sorry, they've already evaluated the programs.

I think there have been evaluations of many of the programs.

I think more substantially than that though, is all the methods that are being used in the loxone, peer support, fentanyl test strips, buprenorphine in particular, um have had tens of millions of dollars of studies uh showing their importance.

So I think it's sort of like uh if we want to to spend money to see if you know antibiotics work against infection, we can do that, but we kind of know the answer.

Uh and so stopping them from giving out antibiotics for infection would not be uh a great idea.

But to your specific question, uh I think uh we have a lot of momentum right now.

We've cut opioid deaths by 50 percent uh in the city.

Wow.

Fifty percent.

That's wild uh over just a few years.

Uh and not many other cities can say they've done that.

And not many other cities can say they've done that.

And I think it's because of these sort of efforts.

It's because of all these evidence-based, well researched uh things that are being done at the health department at the fire department.

Um so I think we have a big risk of losing momentum.

Uh even if it's I where I'm at now, I'm not I don't know the operations of the fire department of the health department, but I would imagine it's hard to plan ahead when you don't know the guaranteed funding.

So for example, one big initiative we're doing, and I'll stop after this because you asked me brief.

One big initiative we're doing in Milwaukee County uh is buprenorphine.

So buprenorphine is medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorder.

Uh it doubles the likelihood of somebody uh actually stopping using opioids.

Um and that's what we're we're using in the uh fire department with support from the health department.

Um in the next couple months we're expanding that department wide as opposed to just with a subset of paramedics.

Uh that's gonna greatly expand our ability beyond that 50 percent.

We're gonna really accelerate it up uh of getting folks into treatment as opposed to using opioids.

Um but for the fire department to implement uh the processes that that takes uh and for the health department to implement the wraparound sort of services that it takes to maintain something like that.

Uh I would imagine there's a lot of planning that goes into that, because that's gonna be years long sort of program to bring that 50% to 25% to 10% and keep driving it forward.

Um so I'll stop there.

I'm happy to talk further, but I'll keep it brief.

Yeah, since we have a motion, um, I think we'll we'll try to wrap it up.

Um so uh Alder Moore had the motion to approve the amended sub, which funds more through the end of the year, um, with the intent then coming back to this in in three weeks um for an opportunity to have the sponsors have the conversation with the health department on uh some of the impacts in their neighborhoods and um whether uh the RF for example whether the RFP process to Alder Moore's point might uh end up selecting only bigger fish as it were, until uh versus the smaller people who maybe don't have the same back end support.

It's the same thing we've encountered for years with community wellness and safety.

But um okay, with that we have a motion before us.

Alder Moore has moved the to approve the motion as subbed.

Um do we have any questions, discussion?

Okay.

Do we have any objections to that motion then?

I'll object.

Uh objection by Alder Bergellis.

Um that means the motion uh passes on a 3-1 vote.

Uh and we'll see in three weeks.

All right, thank you.

Uh with that, uh, we will move on to item nine.

This is a 251407, substitute resolution directing the health department to collaborate with the Department of Employee Relations to develop strategies to prevent clinic closures due to staffing shortages.

This is sponsored by Alder Cogs.

Uh who may have left us.

She's still on.

Uh she dropped off.

Okay.

Well, that went on longer.

So if the sponsor is not here, then this item should be held.

So uh with that all their tailored move that it be held to the call of the chair.

Item 10, file number 251745 resolution relating to access to fire and police commission meetings by members of the common council.

That's sponsored by me.

Alderberg Ellis would move to place this on file.

It's no longer necessary.

Um hearing no objections so ordered.

And then the last one is item number 11, file number 252056 communication from FPC relating to SOPs.

So this is our monthly update on the SOPs that have been altered.

Good morning, Mr.

Chair, committee members, alders.

Uh I'm gonna pretend it's still the morning.

Um Lee Todd, uh executive director of the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission.

There's one uh policy change before you today, which was heard at the March 19th FPC meeting.

It relates to SOP 747, body worn cameras.

Uh the changes are routine administrative updates.

I'm happy to answer any questions, but they're outlined in a memo in the file.

Okay.

Uh any members have any questions about these.

The one on body worn cameras.

Could you just give that one briefly?

Yeah, so uh the Milwaukee Police Department um did amendments that uh change the term evidence sync to the more generic uh term evidence application, as the term was changed a few times already for that uh application, and this change will avoid having to update the SOP every time uh axon renames the application.

Okay, that's that's good.

Okay.

Uh there's some other similarly drum ones.

Um is that the only one?

That's the only SOP, yes.

Okay.

All right.

Sorry, I thought I saw something else in there earlier when I was reviewing the file.

It looks like it doubled uh for some reason, but it's uh it's one SOP.

Gotcha.

Okay.

That helps.

All right.

With that then, uh given these just technical changes, Alder Brigal so moved that this item be placed on file and hearing no objections sorted.

Thank you very much.

We are adjourned.