City of Milwaukee - File #: 200274

• File #: 200274
• Version: 1
• Type: Resolution
• Status: Passed
• File created: 6/16/2020
• In control: COMMON COUNCIL
• Final action: 7/7/2020
• Title: Substitute resolution directing that Police Department purchases of crowd-response, crowd-control, military-grade and militaristic equipment be approved by the Common Council.
• Sponsors: ALD. COGGS, ALD. KOVAC, ALD. PEREZ, ALD. LEWIS, ALD. STAMPER
• Indexes: POLICE DEPARTMENT, PURCHASING

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
7/17/2020	1	MAYOR	SIGNED
7/7/2020	1	COMMON COUNCIL	ADOPTED; Minutes note: Ald. Stamper added as a co-sponsor.	Pass	15:0
6/25/2020	0	PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH COMMITTEE	SUBSTITUTED	Pass	5:0
6/25/2020	0	PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH COMMITTEE	RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION	Pass	3:2
6/25/2020	1	PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH COMMITTEE	HELD TO CALL OF THE CHAIR	Fail	2:3
6/16/2020	0	COMMON COUNCIL	ASSIGNED TO

Number
200274
Version
SUBSTITUTE 1
Reference

Sponsor
ALD. COGGS, KOVAC, PEREZ, LEWIS, AND STAMPER
Title
Substitute resolution directing that Police Department purchases of crowd-response, crowd-control, military-grade and militaristic equipment be approved by the Common Council.
Analysis
This resolution requires that Police Department purchases of crowd-response, crowd-control, military-grade and militaristic equipment be approved by the Common Council.

Military-grade equipment is defined as any weapon or equipment typically employed by military entities in the course of armed conflict or for protection during armed threat, including, but not limited to:

Armored personnel carriers Flashbang grenades
Grenade launchers Arms to fire rubber or plastic bullets
Rubber or plastic bullets Tear gas
Heavy body armor Ballistic/riot shields or helmets
Batons Assault or sniper rifles
Submachine guns Long range acoustic devices (sound cannons)
Heavy entry tools Advanced night vision optics

Excluded from this resolution is equipment purchased, requisitioned or otherwise procured for daily and routine use by a police officer in the course of executing an officer’s normally assigned duties.

Body
Whereas, The deployment of crowd-response, crowd-control, military-grade and militaristic equipment by police departments in response to peaceful gatherings to protest social and racial injustices is often seen as an overreaction by those gathering and can create a climate of mistrust and animosity; and

Whereas, The mere knowledge that the police have crowd-response, crowd-control, military-grade and militaristic equipment in reserve ready to quickly deploy can similarly create an atmosphere of tension and foreboding among those gathered; and

Whereas, The deployment, or the mere presence in reserve, of crowd-control, military-grade and militaristic equipment can incite the violent clashes between police and protesters this equipment is intended to prev...