Common Council to Mull Audit of MPD Crime-Reporting Practices
According to the resolution, a recent Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigation found more than 500 cases in which serious assaults were misclassified by the MPD as lesser offenses.
The Common Council tomorrow will consider a proposal directing the City Comptroller to conduct an audit of the Milwaukee Police Department’s crime-reporting practices.
Alderman Joe Dudzik, the primary sponsor of the audit resolution, said he believes the City Comptroller will be able to determine what, if any, changes are appropriate to the MPD’s crime-reporting practices. “It is absolutely essential to ensure the integrity of crime data compiled by the police department, so that the data can be communicated accurately to the public and to members of the Common Council,” he said.
According to the resolution, a recent Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigation found more than 500 cases in which serious assaults were misclassified by the MPD as lesser offenses. The newspaper’s review discovered an additional 800 cases since 2009 that follow the same pattern but couldn’t be verified with available public records. According to the Journal Sentinel, there were enough misrepresented cases in 2011 alone that violent crime would have increased 1.1% instead of falling 2.3% from the reported 2010 figures.
If approved by the Council, Alderman Dudzik’s resolution – co-sponsored by Alderman Bob Donovan and Alderman Jim Bohl – requires the Comptroller to report findings back to the Council within 90 days.
The Common Council meeting tomorrow (Tuesday, June 12) begins at 9 a.m. in the third floor Council Chamber at City Hall, 200 E. Wells St.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
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