IMMEDIATE ADOPTION
Number
240233
Version
ORIGINAL
Reference
230131
Sponsors
ALD. SPIKER, PEREZ, TAYLOR, MOORE, DIMITRIJEVIC
Title
Resolution urging the Homicide Review Commission to work with its partners to provide quarterly updates to the Common Council on progress in implementing Commission recommendations.
Analysis
This resolution urges the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission to provide quarterly updates to the Common Council on the implementation of recommendations from the Commission’s February 2024 document, “Intimate Partner / Domestic Violence: Sentinel Event Review: Report and Recommendations”.
Body
Whereas, According to an October 2020 report from the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission, intimate partner violence involves physical/sexual/psychological harm by a current/former partner/spouse, while domestic violence involves physical harm/impairment/threat by an adult against their current/former spouse, against their current/former household resident, or against an adult with whom they have a child in common; and
Whereas, These forms of violence devastate individuals and communities around Milwaukee through injury and loss of life, as well as high costs related to physical and mental health care, courts, policing, prisons, and productivity, according to an October 2022 report from the Sojourner Family Peace Center and Jamie Kimble Foundation for Courage; and
Whereas, Milwaukee County has an estimated 9,236 victims of intimate partner violence per year, leading to estimated economic losses of $113.1 million per year, according to the aforementioned October 2022 report; and
Whereas, The city of Milwaukee is in the midst of what some have characterized as a “domestic violence homicide crisis”, with four domestic violence-related homicides and one domestic violence-related attempted homicide over a single week in April 2024; and
Whereas, Common Council File Number 230131, a communication relating to administrative and sentinel reviews concerning the death of Bobbie Lou Schoeffling and potential improvements to policies, training, and practices concerning domestic and intimate partner violence, was held to the call of the chair on March 28, 2024; and
Whereas, Attached to File 230131 was the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission’s (HRC) February 2024 document, “Intimate Partner / Domestic Violence: Sentinel Event Review: Report and Recommendations”; and
Whereas, This 2024 document concerns HRC’s Sentinel Event Review of the Milwaukee Police Department’s (MPD) response to Bobbie Lou Schoeffling’s two calls on July 11, 2022 regarding abuse and threats from her intimate partner, wherein several officers did not file reports based on the calls and did not respond to the scene, Schoeffling was found murdered on July 26, 2022, and her ex-boyfriend subsequently was sentenced to life in prison for the murder; and
Whereas, HRC’s February 2024 document states that Bobbie Lou Schoeffling’s murder revealed “potential gaps in systems intended to protect those experiencing victimization due to domestic or intimate partner violence”, leading MPD to request an HRC Sentinel Event Review aimed at addressing “questions and concerns about the response to domestic violence (DV) or intimate partner violence (IV) incidents in Milwaukee as identified through this incident”; and
Whereas, HRC’s February 2024 document identifies 57 recommendations across three categories, Priority, Tier 2, and Tier 3, with 24 Priority recommendations concerning “Resources”, “Response Coordination”, “Modifying Approach to DV Response”, “Research and Evaluation”, “Emergency and Law Enforcement Response”, “District Attorney Response”, “Corrections Response”, “Community Outreach, Education, and Awareness”, “Statutory/Legislative”, and “Postvention”; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission is urged to provide quarterly updates to the Common Council on implementation of the 24 Priority recommendations from its February 2024 document, “Intimate Partner / Domestic Violence: Sentinel Event Review: Report and Recommendations”.
Requestor
Drafter
Ned Littlefield
LRB 179934-2
05/30/2024