Robert Puente represented Milwaukee’s ninth district between 2004 and 2016. He previously served in the Milwaukee Police Department for 27 years.
Puente’s official biography notes that he rose to a captain and district commander during his long tenure with the Milwaukee Police, and credits these years as preparation for his work as an elected official. His bio also highlights his work developing the Operation Ceasefire Program to prevent gun violence and his efforts to improve police-community relations by hosting district open houses and establish daily foot patrols. As a liaison to the Anti-Graffiti Policy Committee, Puente also worked to decrease city vandalism.
Puente holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Mount Senario College, is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and also graduated from the Police Staff & Command Program at Northwestern University. He is a member of the Milwaukee Community Safety Coalition and he has served as a volunteer for the Special Olympics and the Police Athletic League.
First elected alderman in 2004, Puente was reelected in 2008 and won a narrow victory in 2012 over challenger Ray Harmon, who had publicly criticized Puente for refusing to participate in a debate. He was defeated in 2016 by Chantia Lewis.
In 2012, Puente encouraged the owner of the vacant Northridge Mall to demolish the building and clear the space for new development.
In 2010, in response to a proposal to boycott Arizona because of its new immigration law, Puente urged Common Council members to delay taking any action until they had read Arizona’s law, which he argued had been misrepresented.
Campaign Finance Reports
2016 - July Continuing - $550 - 3 contributions
2016 - Pre-Election - $1,575 - 5 contributions
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