Fences Removed from Sherman Park by Milwaukee Co Workers
The fence surrounding Sherman Park is no more.
For the second day in the row, crews working for Milwaukee County tore down the plastic netting. This latest fence was installed Sunday by order of Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke.
The back-and-forth between Sheriff Clarke and Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele is part of continuing contention on how to move forward with resident-authority relations in the neighborhood following unrest.
By 1:30 p.m. on Monday all the fencing had been taken down. It took workers less than two hours to complete the take-down. The move signals a return to normal for the park that some community member say was unfairly restricted following unrest.
"The fence is orange and that's what color the mens orange suits is that the mans where downtown in jail," one woman said while grilling in Sherman Park. She said the cook-out was an annual event for her family.
"We don't care what the sheriff say. We going to barbeque and have a nice time," she said.
Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge David Hansher appeared to agree with the picnickers when he issued a temporary restraining order on Sheriff Clarke's restrictions on Sherman Park and restored the park's regular operating hours.
Also on Sunday Evening, Judge Hansher called for the fencing to be removed as soon as possible.
"I wish the sheriff and the county executive would have worked something out but the sheriff seems to think that he's above the law and decide what he wants to do. As I said, by not showing up here I think that it's a contemptuous act," Judge Hansher said.
CBS 58 News has reached out to Sheriff Clarke to ask for comment and messages were not returned.
Sherman Park will now be open until 10 p.m. which is in line with other Milwaukee County parks.