Exclusive: Milwaukee Police issuing fewer traffic tickets every year

Exclusive: Milwaukee Police issuing fewer traffic tickets every year
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Milwaukee, WI (CBS-58) ---

Records obtained by CBS-58 show the Milwaukee Police Department has been issuing fewer and fewer traffic citations every year since 2009.

In 2009, the department issued 111,843 tickets. Last year, that dropped to 44,178, a difference of more than 67,000 tickets.

The numbers aren’t sitting well with people in Milwaukee’s Grassland Manor neighborhood, which has seen a spike in reckless driving.

“Individuals are not being cited for speeding, reckless driving, whatever,” says Steve O’Connell. “Those numbers don’t lie.”

                                                    2010:     2016:

Reckless Driving:                         387         179

Violating Red Traffic Light:           3,059     1,664

Speeding:                                     8,453     4,901


Milwaukee Police declined to comment on the reduction of tickets at a Fire and Police Commission meeting Thursday night.

Chairperson Steven DeVougas however, says the reduction doesn’t worry him.

“They’ve had other priorities. It would be onerous to ticket everybody for those minor violations.”

In 2009, the department issued on average 301 tickets per day. This year, they’re averaging about 123 tickets per day.

The department has significantly reduced tickets for minor traffic offenses like Operating After Suspension, and Non-Registration of Vehicle.

“The people with expired tags, or broken headlights, stuff happens,” says DeVougas. “I’m more concerned with the accidents, the reckless driving.

2017

Chief Ed Flynn says the department has made reckless driving a priority.

For the first time in nearly a decade, the department is on track to issue more tickets this year, than last year.

Police Chief Ed Flynn recently announced a surge in traffic resources.

“We’ve been involved in a significant surge of our resources,” says Flynn. “Clearly prevention, enforcement, consequences, and sanctions all have a role to play in changing this dangerous subculture.”

The department is on pace to issue 45,781 tickets this year, up from 44,178 last year.

“I think that’s going to trend back up going forward,” says DeVougas.

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