Another Summerfest has come and gone and of the 864,866 fest goers that passed through the gates, 389 people carried an additional souvenir of their visit to the popular lakefront festival -- a ticket.
Milwaukee Police Department statistics show that 76 were from the metropolitan Milwaukee area and 313 were from outside that area. Also, 359 were adults and 30 were juveniles.
The largest arrest categories were: 245 charges for possession of alcohol by underage persons; 41 charges for possession of a controlled substance; 59 charges for disorderly conduct; 13 charges for battery; 33 charges for resisting/obstructing an officer; 10 charges for theft; and 11 arrests on outstanding warrants.
But Milwaukee's anticipated long, hot summer is only half over with the conclusion of Summerfest. Other lakefront festivals are on schedule but in Milwaukee's near north side and south side neighborhoods, there seems to be little for idle youth to do but idle their vehicles on local streets.
So the next challenge to keeping the peace appears to be the cruising crusade. Cruisers will face stiffer penalties and run the risk of having their vehicles seized pending Mayor Tom Barrett's expected approval of ordinances passed at Wednesday's Common Council meeting.
One ordinance doubles the fines for cruising in designated no-cruising areas to a range of $100 to $400. For certain noise violations, cruisers could be fined to a maximum of $1,000. The ordinance also increases fines for other violations, such as disorderly conduct, in no-cruising areas from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
See the ordinance here.
Another ordinance, which passed on a 10 to 5 vote, allows the city to seize vehicles that have been involved in "unlawful assemblies" two or more times, regardless of who is driving. The seizure ordinance was the subject of lengthy debate. Ald. Michael McGee, Jr., who voted against the measure, said the ordinance would be unenforceable and amounted to "feel-good" legislation.
Also voting against the measure was Ald. Mike D'Amato, who echoed McGee's comments that the ordinance was "feel-good legislation" and said that due to varying vehicle values, that the penalty would be arbitrary. Several aldermen called for a more proactive approach to curb cruising, including Ald. Willie Wade, who called for the council to look at pushing cruising to non-residential areas such as the Menomonee Valley and said that tougher fines wouldn't stop cruising.
But Ald. Bob Donovan argued that if the city starts to seize vehicles, "the word will get out in a hurry that we're not playing games anymore."
See the ordinance here.
A spokesperson for Barrett said the mayor plans to sign the ordinances.
Meanwhile, McGee has continued to push for allowing what he calls "peaceful" late-night gatherings outside of Miller Park. "We're trying to drive them out of the streets," McGee said in a release. "We're doing the community a big favor."
Alds. Donovan and Michael Murphy, who each represent part of the Miller Park area, have both expressed their concern and opposition over such a plan.
And those are just the politicians who oppose the idea.
Gretchen Schuldt, a resident of the Story Hill Neighborhood just north of Miller Park, and a long-time member of its community board, was not enthusiastic about cruisers near the tony, single-family homes. "I don't think people are jumping up and down to welcome them," Schuldt said of the cruisers. "These cruisers can't seem to follow the rules."
She said others in her neighborhood have voiced similar concerns.
"I understand that it's hard to say to people that they shouldn't have some outlet," she said. "But I remembered all the problems with cruisers on Hwy. 100 when I lived in West Allis and I hated it."
She said simply moving the cruisers does not truly address the issue of cruising and its attendant problems for neighborhoods and law enforcement.
While the Milwaukee Police Department has not embraced the plan, MPD spokesperson Anne E. Schwartz said, "We are open to listening to any ideas that anyone has to offer on how to curb this serious quality of life issue.
"Any ideas for alternatives should have the support of all the affected parties."
Milwaukee Police Department statistics show that 76 were from the metropolitan Milwaukee area and 313 were from outside that area. Also, 359 were adults and 30 were juveniles.
The largest arrest categories were: 245 charges for possession of alcohol by underage persons; 41 charges for possession of a controlled substance; 59 charges for disorderly conduct; 13 charges for battery; 33 charges for resisting/obstructing an officer; 10 charges for theft; and 11 arrests on outstanding warrants.
But Milwaukee's anticipated long, hot summer is only half over with the conclusion of Summerfest. Other lakefront festivals are on schedule but in Milwaukee's near north side and south side neighborhoods, there seems to be little for idle youth to do but idle their vehicles on local streets.
So the next challenge to keeping the peace appears to be the cruising crusade. Cruisers will face stiffer penalties and run the risk of having their vehicles seized pending Mayor Tom Barrett's expected approval of ordinances passed at Wednesday's Common Council meeting.
One ordinance doubles the fines for cruising in designated no-cruising areas to a range of $100 to $400. For certain noise violations, cruisers could be fined to a maximum of $1,000. The ordinance also increases fines for other violations, such as disorderly conduct, in no-cruising areas from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
See the ordinance here.
Another ordinance, which passed on a 10 to 5 vote, allows the city to seize vehicles that have been involved in "unlawful assemblies" two or more times, regardless of who is driving. The seizure ordinance was the subject of lengthy debate. Ald. Michael McGee, Jr., who voted against the measure, said the ordinance would be unenforceable and amounted to "feel-good" legislation.
Also voting against the measure was Ald. Mike D'Amato, who echoed McGee's comments that the ordinance was "feel-good legislation" and said that due to varying vehicle values, that the penalty would be arbitrary. Several aldermen called for a more proactive approach to curb cruising, including Ald. Willie Wade, who called for the council to look at pushing cruising to non-residential areas such as the Menomonee Valley and said that tougher fines wouldn't stop cruising.
But Ald. Bob Donovan argued that if the city starts to seize vehicles, "the word will get out in a hurry that we're not playing games anymore."
See the ordinance here.
A spokesperson for Barrett said the mayor plans to sign the ordinances.
Meanwhile, McGee has continued to push for allowing what he calls "peaceful" late-night gatherings outside of Miller Park. "We're trying to drive them out of the streets," McGee said in a release. "We're doing the community a big favor."
Alds. Donovan and Michael Murphy, who each represent part of the Miller Park area, have both expressed their concern and opposition over such a plan.
And those are just the politicians who oppose the idea.
Gretchen Schuldt, a resident of the Story Hill Neighborhood just north of Miller Park, and a long-time member of its community board, was not enthusiastic about cruisers near the tony, single-family homes. "I don't think people are jumping up and down to welcome them," Schuldt said of the cruisers. "These cruisers can't seem to follow the rules."
She said others in her neighborhood have voiced similar concerns.
"I understand that it's hard to say to people that they shouldn't have some outlet," she said. "But I remembered all the problems with cruisers on Hwy. 100 when I lived in West Allis and I hated it."
She said simply moving the cruisers does not truly address the issue of cruising and its attendant problems for neighborhoods and law enforcement.
While the Milwaukee Police Department has not embraced the plan, MPD spokesperson Anne E. Schwartz said, "We are open to listening to any ideas that anyone has to offer on how to curb this serious quality of life issue.
"Any ideas for alternatives should have the support of all the affected parties."
