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MPD focuses on Water Street area
Officers re-allocated in 1st district
By Savannah Hunnicutt
“We’ve sent a message to the community” – MPD spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz
The Milwaukee Police Department increased its presence on Water Street at the start of the summer because “cruising was displaced from the North side to the Water Street area,” according to Milwaukee Police Department spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz.
While there have been several incidents that warranted media attention, the downtown area is still very safe and there are very few reported crimes in the area.
“Milwaukee’s downtown is one of the safest downtown areas for a city our size in the nation,” said Schwartz in an interview with the Post Thursday.
To people that want to go to restaurants, bars and attend events in the area, Schwartz says, “absolutely” to go and feel safe and not avoid the area. MPD just wants to “make sure everyone gets to have a safe time,” she added.
Milwaukee police wanted to establish a visible presence in the area, monitoring underage drinking, cruising and loitering.
“We’ve sent a message to the community,” said Schwartz, confident that the problem has been deterred.
One bar owner told WISN.com that he could not be happier with the cruisers wandering Water Street, and adding to his business. But Schwartz said that most bar owners welcome the officers, because they want a safe venue for their customers.
There is still the same number of District One police officers as there were at the start of the summer. They’ve just become more concentrated on Water Street since RiverSplash, which was held May 30 – June 1.
Officers are not being taken from other areas to accommodate the need on Water Street, rather, they are being re-allocated within the district.
The program will continue to be re-evaluated on a week-by-week basis, with a receding need for a concentrated number of officers in the area as the cooler months approach, according to Schwartz.
Schwartz’s general safety advice to UW-Milwaukee students was to “be aware of your surroundings.” Street crimes happen late at night, she said, so students should keep that in mind.
Finally, Schwartz added, “pay attention” and avoid texting or listening to your iPod when you are out alone at night.
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