Mayor talks to CBS 58 about sex offender ordinance

MILWAUKEE -- In a CBS 58 Investigation we uncovered sex offenders living next to schools and parks and exposed that Milwaukee had no law restricting where sex offenders could live. After approaching a local alderman the ordinance passed. It now needs Mayor Tom Barrett's signature to restrict offenders from living 2,000 feet from schools, parks, and daycare centers.

Barrett says, \"I believe more and more individuals are being placed in the City of Milwaukee.\"

The mayor told CBS 58 that he had a private meeting with the state after it didn't show for a council meeting it was publicly invited to.

\"They did show up to the second meeting, what they didn't do is when we asked them to take a position to make it more difficult for other communities to put their people in the City of Milwaukee, that's what they declined to do.\"

Many of the surrounding communities passed sex offender living restrictions where Milwaukee did not. He blames the state and the Department of Corrections for not taking action.

Today the Department of Corrections responded saying 'The Department of Corrections does not make laws. We work within the confines of those passed by the legislature and we will continue to do so. Public safety remains our highest priority.\"

Still when we asked the mayor if he would sign he remained tight lipped, \"If I do veto it, it would be because I'm concerned where individuals will go, if I sign, it will be to send a clear message to the state, that they can't play Pontius Pilot.\"

We contacted the state for a comment, the Governor's Office did not return our call.