Number
061134
Version
SUBSTITUTE 2
Reference
Sponsor
ALD. ZIELINSKI, WITKOWSKI AND BOHL
Title
Substitute resolution requesting the federal government’s assistance in fighting violent crime in the city of Milwaukee.
Analysis
This resolution requests the federal government to assist the City of Milwaukee in fighting violent crime by committing additional resources to the city. It also requests that the Federal Bureau of Investigation undertake a thorough study of the causes of the recent surge in violent crime in Milwaukee and other cities across the nation.
Body
Whereas, Milwaukee has experienced a sharp rise in violent crime in the past 2 years, as evidenced by a 38.6% increase in homicides and a 53.8% increase in aggravated assaults between 2004 and 2005; and
Whereas, According to a recent report by the Police Executive Research Forum, among 55 major cities and counties surveyed, Milwaukee had the second-highest increase in the combined total number of homicides, robberies and aggravated assaults -- 32.7% -- between the first 6 months of 2005 and the first 6 months of 2006; and
Whereas, According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, each year approximately 600 people are victims of non-fatal shootings in Milwaukee; and
Whereas, As reported in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in November, 2006, gun violence costs taxpayers, hospitals and people with insurance tens of millions of dollars each year and consumes a significant amount of police officers’ time, thereby slowing police response to other calls for service; and
Whereas, The recent surge in violent crime has led the Milwaukee Police Department to consider changes in its call-for-service response policy, including the possibility of no longer sending officers to lower-priority calls, but rather handling such calls over the phone or by computer; and
Whereas, A substantial portion of violent crime in Milwaukee is drug-related; and
Whereas, Since trade in illegal drugs occurs on the national and international levels, Milwaukee’s drug-related crime problem extends far beyond City limits and beyond City resources; and
Whereas, The national and international scope of the illegal drug trade limit the Milwaukee Police Department’s effectiveness in combating drug-related crime in this city; and
Whereas, Various street gangs operating in Milwaukee have ties to gang networks that are multi-city, national or even international in scope; and
Whereas, The federal government has the jurisdiction and the resources to assist the Milwaukee Police Department in addressing violent crime in general and drug-related and gang-related violent crime in particular; and
Whereas, The Common Council finds that it is appropriate for the City of Milwaukee to call upon the federal government to re-allocate federal crime-fighting resources to the City, particularly when much of the drug-related and gang-related crime problem originates outside Milwaukee, yet has profound harmful impacts at the local level; and
Whereas, Milwaukee’s crime-fighting efforts have been harmed by a decrease in federal funding for local law enforcement activities and by the shifting of FBI resources from domestic crime prevention to the fight against international terrorism; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the federal government is requested to assist the City of Milwaukee in fighting violent crime by committing additional resources to the city; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the City of Milwaukee specifically requests that the Federal Bureau of Investigation undertake a thorough study of the causes of the recent surge in violent crime in Milwaukee and other cities across the nation; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the City Clerk shall send a copy of this resolution to President Bush and to each member of Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation.
Requestor
Drafter
LRB06587-3
JDO
12/11/2006