Chicago, Milwaukee share common violence problems

MILWAUKEE -- Leadership from Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and Chicago are inside the Hilton Hotel sharing strategies on gun violence.  Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn was joined by his equal to the south - Chicago Police superintendent Garry McCarthy.  The two sat next to each other at the summit - both having unique perspectives on violence. 



The group - which included Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges and many other local mayors - shared what they thought gun violence was all about.  Mayor Barrett pointed to more gun laws - specifically background checks.  He cited the Sandy Hook tragedy as a point where there should have been new gun legislation - but there wasn't any movement at the federal level.



Chief Flynn and Chicago PD Superintendent McCarthy share common problems - much of the crime in Milwaukee and Chicago is concentrated in certain areas.



 \"Violence tends to be highly concentrated among people with criminal records who prey on people in their own neighborhoods,\" Flynn said.



McCarthy said Chicago has similar issues.



\"More than half the city of Chicago in 2013 had zero murders,\" McCarthy said.  \"It's concentrated in certain pockets. That has to do with where we deploy our officers but the question becomes what are they doing while they're there.\"



Flynn and McCarthy both said illegal guns are a problem in their respective cities - something they're both working hard to stop.

Share this article: