Milwaukee police broke up yet another ‘street takeover’ on Saturday as concerns about an increase in crime may be driving a crackdown by the city’s embattled police department.
The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s office responded to a disturbance in Jackson Park involving a large crowd, resulting in dozens of bikers congesting Interstate 794, forming a pack that stopped traffic and was potentially hazardous to other drivers.
Police followed the bikers involved in the ‘street takeover’ and towed numerous bikes, taking one member of the pack into custody.
The ‘street takeovers’ have become commonplace in many large cities and often include hundreds of participants that block traffic and engage in reckless driving stunts. Some end with property destruction, injuries, or even fatalities.
The latest incident of disorder in Milwaukee follows reports of the Sheriff’s office and Milwaukee Police Department facing challenges related to being understaffed and a longstanding contract dispute that have made improvements to public safety difficult. (RELATED: Mayor of Milwaukee Chooses Convicted Murderer to Lead ‘Violence Prevention Office’)
Increases in crime in major cities have drawn the attention of both statewide officials and President Donald Trump, who ordered the National Guard to deploy in Washington D.C and is reportedly considering doing the same in Chicago.
Earlier this month, State Representative Bob Donovan, R-Milwaukee penned a letter to Mayor Cavalier Johnson asking for more street patrols and to resolve the labor dispute between the Milwaukee Police Association and the city.
“The City of Milwaukee needs every available sworn officer out on our streets protecting our citizens and restoring law and order,” the letter said.
Milwaukee County continues to see an increase in violent crime even as overall crime rates have reportedly dropped. As of last month, the city saw a 13% increase in homicides relative to last year, with other major crimes such as rape and human trafficking also on the rise. (RELATED: Milwaukee State rep Warns Time is Running out on “street takeover” Law)