Beyond talking points: Street takeovers need real solutions

As usual, Urban Milwaukee has done the best reporting on last Friday’s press conference regarding street takeovers. Instead of merely repeating the talking points that the event’s conveners wanted to convey, reporter Sophie Bolich dug much deeper into the one meaningful bone of contention at the press event:

What REALLY needs to happen for the City to get a handle on these dangerous and illegal street takeovers or “sideshows,” as they are called elsewhere?

I argued that fining spectators isn’t enough—although I think that’s needed too—especially considering how meaningless municipal tickets can be. (Making municipal tickets matter is one of my other long-term goals here!)

We need to arrest people and impound or seize their vehicles.

If we don’t have enough cops to do that on a wide scale (e.g., when there are 15 street takeovers taking place at the same time time), then it seems to me—though I’m not the police chief—we pick one and make an example of it for everyone else.

We basically say that if you want to play the street takeover lottery, then best of luck to you. But if you show up to the one that ends up getting special attention from the Milwaukee Police Department and its partners (and we need partners, by the way, like the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, to increase the number of trained law enforcement officers we have devoted to this problem) then you are about to have a VERY bad night.

You will be arrested, your car will be towed, and if you are part of the crowd that assembles to egg on this idiocy, unless you immediately disperse, you too will be arrested and given a sizable fine to boot.

Dangerous actions require strong responses. We need to resolve the problem before us, but more importantly, deter its recurrence.

Now THAT’S how we make a real change in behavior, and move beyond the talking points.

https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2025/09/05/somebodys-going-to-end-up-dead-mayor-decries-street-takeovers/

*****

Addendum:

Mayor’s Friday, Sept. 5th Press Conference Concerning Street Takeovers

https://youtu.be/GXmJ4TXZN0g?si=oRGkaGaYVrGTHHi3

At 13:33 is where Alderman Spiker’s remarks start.

They conclude at 15:55.

At 8:05 – 8:35 is where the Mayor recognizes that protocol, common sense and self-interest all conspire to warrant that he invite Ald. Spiker to join this press conference instead of having him lurk in the shadows at its periphery. I thank the Mayor for overruling his staff and welcoming me, as Public Safety and Health Committee Chair, as a partner at this press event.

Better late than never, as they say.

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.