A clear choice moving forward for Milwaukee crime victims

After several conversations with the Milwaukee Police Department and the Department of Emergency Communications over the past few weeks, a change has been made to dispatcher protocol when citizens report crimes. This change comes in response to feedback indicating that the level of service we expect has NOT been up to par. Many people who called to report a crime have not been presented with ALL available options. Instead, they were often only told to go to the nearest MPD district station, which can be unrealistic—especially for those whose vehicle has just been stolen.

Moving forward, there should always be a clear choice: Citizens can either go to the nearest station to report the crime or request that a squad be sent to their location. While this response may take hours because of the current demands on MPD and officer shortages, it is still a valid option that should be offered. In addition, certain crimes can be reported online at https://milwaukeepdwi.policetocitizen.com/Home.

Currently, online reporting is available for the following types of incidents:

• Theft, vandalism, or damage to property under $2,500
• Lost property
• Garage burglaries

So far this year, 5,598 reports have been submitted through MPD’s online reporting system.

Starting today, no matter where in Milwaukee you are reporting a crime, I want to be informed if you’re not being presented with all your options. This will help track dispatcher shortfalls in relation to this protocol and provide important metrics, while ensuring accountability. It is important to note that limiting reporting options opens the door to inaccurate crime statistics, as some crimes go unreported when people cannot get to a station and have no practical alternative.

My strong recommendation to citizens is to PLEASE only request a squad when absolutely necessary. Please use the online reporting option or head to nearest police station to keep as many of our officers on patrol as possible (and responding to the most urgent emergency calls!).

Lastly, I want to thank our dedicated dispatchers for their hard work and for adhering to these protocols moving forward.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.