Milwaukee aldermen call for unregistered vehicles in Milwaukee to be towed

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Local Milwaukee aldermen are urging the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission to consider a standard for towing unregistered vehicles, and they're asking the Milwaukee Police Department to do it. 

Local leaders say there are dozens of unregistered cars in the city. They believe it's linked to a reckless driving problem and they say getting the cars towed might just help police in the long-run. 

“If Milwaukee police pull over a vehicle that does not have registration, I want that car towed. I don’t want that individual to get back in that car and continue to create mayhem on the streets of Milwaukee," said 7th District Milwaukee Alderman Khalif Rainey.

Seventh District Alderman Khalif Rainey is asking the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission to create an operating procedure to require Milwaukee police to tow unregistered vehicles. Rainey says this may just help curb reckless driving. 

"We’re not creating a law here, we are simply asking them to take this matter up into this business and if they see fit to create a standard within the Milwaukee Police Department," said Rainey.

The chief of staff for Milwaukee police says an officer may not have enough time to wait around for a tow truck. 

“We have considerable concerns about how that would really tie up our officers.” said DeSiato. "It's outgoing priorities."

"We need to readdress our priorities, because what’s going on right now is not working, maybe if we were more proactive this could be a deterrent to people here in the city of Milwaukee driving unregistered," said Rainey.

Ninth District Alderman Chantia Lewis is in agreement with Rainey.

"The car smashed in, the side mirror hanging, no bumper, you can tell they have been in a severe accident, so those are indicators, they’re driving really crazy and reckless and not really caring," said Lewis. 

When parking attendants are checking for illegal parking, they also take note of expired plates and unregistered vehicles.

This is just the first push for the commission to take the item into consideration. Leaders say there will be more discussion at a later date. 

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