Bill Gives Milwaukee More Leeway to Impound Recklessly Driven Cars

The City of Milwaukee tow lot. Photo by Urban Milwaukee staff.

Milwaukee’s fight against reckless driving could take a major step forward with a bill pending before the Wisconsin State Senate.

The proposal, requested by the city, would allow the city to impound (tow) vehicles driven recklessly, regardless of whether it’s a first offense or if the vehicle is registered. It comes as the city is also requesting authority to add automated traffic enforcement cameras to what city officials call “the toolbox.”

The Legislature has slowly given the city more tools, with limited success in their actual use. A 2022 change in the law allowed recklessly driven vehicles to be impounded if they were also unregistered. A 2023 change allowed the city to impound vehicles if the driver had a previously unpaid reckless driving citation and owned the vehicle.

“I’ve always maintained I didn’t think that was strong enough personally,” said Alderman Lamont Westmoreland, the council’s leading advocate for cracking down on dangerous driving, during a February 2025 council committee meeting on the city’s towing efforts. “I’ve always thought [we need] the ability to impound vehicles being used recklessly regardless of the ownership, and regardless if that offender was a repeat offender or if it was their first time being stopped.”

The data appears to back up the alderman’s case.

From Jan. 1, 2022 through Feb. 11, 2025, the Milwaukee Police Department issued more than 1,800 reckless driving citations. The 2022 law change allowed the city to tow 595 vehicles during that period. The 2023 law change added only 11 more tows.

The 2025 proposal would strip off the restrictions and make every reckless driving instance subject to a tow.

“Any tool in the toolbox is helpful for us with reckless driving,” said MPD Chief of Staff Heather Hough at the February hearing.

The Legislature is now poised to give it to them. The Assembly passed the bill unanimously in March. The Senate’s Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety passed the measure 7-1 in April, with only Sen. Kelda Roys in opposition.

The bill’s lead sponsor in the Assembly was Rep. Bob Donovan (R-Greenfield), who was joined by 20 co-sponsors, including Milwaukee Democrats Russell Antonio Goodwin, Sr. and Sylvia Ortiz-Velez. The Senate sponsors are Van Wanggaard (R-Racine), Cory Tomczyk (R-Mosinee) and Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee). Milwaukee Senate Democrats Dora Drake and LaTonya Johnson voted for the bill when it was before the public safety committee.

But would MPD use its authority? That was the top question for council committee chair Scott Spiker.

“If it’s a tool that we have that we can use, we are going to use,” said Inspector David Feldmeier. “To what extent I can’t say.”

But Peter Knox, the city’s tow lot manager, said he’s prepared to reserve 300 spaces. He said 89% of prior reckless driving tows have been claimed by the owners, but it can take several weeks.

The state bill would require the city to hold the vehicle for at least 60 days if its reported as stolen and 90 days if is not. Officers initiating the tow would also be required to check if the vehicle is stolen and initiate the process to notify the owner. Victims of theft would not be required to pay for the impoundment.

The city would be required to adopt an ordinance to enact the policy. MPD would also need to update its standard operating procedures. The council unanimously passed a bill seeking the state law change in September 2023 and Mayor Cavalier Johnson signed the request.

Legislation Link - Urban Milwaukee members see direct links to legislation mentioned in this article. Join today