Mayor Johnson and MPD continuing efforts to limit downtown violence
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) - Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson held a press conference on Friday morning, Aug. 8, to announce new ways the city and MPD are looking to limit the recent downtown violence.
“The problems that have occurred stem from a minority of people,” Johnson said. “Just a few people who are looking for trouble and that tends to be later at night.”
Johnson and MPD announced that the department will be using a mobile booking facility downtown going forward to keep more officers on scene.
“They’re going to work to make sure that we have the adequate strength that we have here and then also work with other law enforcement agencies in order to make sure that officers can stay on the beat downtown and in the surrounding areas as well,” Johnson said.
Johnson also announced that food truck hours will change to stop gatherings that can lead to violence in the late night and early morning hours.
“You’re not going to be able to go and patronize food trucks and go stand around after bars close,” Johnson said. “You gotta make a choice, either you’re gonna go to a food truck and enjoy what they have to offer or you’re gonna spend your time at the bar, you can’t do both.”
Abdallah Simail owns the Fatty Patty food trucks and has had a truck on Water St. since 2016.
“It will happen even if there is a truck or not, this is not just because of the truck,” Simail said. “I want to thank the city and the mayor’s office for supporting small businesses like ours, I definitely want to work with them for finding a new solution for both of us.”
District 4 Alderman Robert Bauman says there haven’t been any recent discussions with the mayor about the food truck hours, and that the current restricted hours are 1 a.m. to 6 a.m., which have been in place for years.
Ismail says most business comes in the late-night hours, and having to close early could impact his trucks and employees.
“That’s honestly the busiest time for us and that’s when we make our money and cover most of the cost,” Ismail said. “It could be 50% of the sale from let’s say 12 to 2 o’clock.”