Impoundment is LIVE: Don’t test us

After a long, two-year fight and a change in state law, a new city ordinance that I authored and advanced allowing for the impoundment of vehicles being operated by individuals driving like fools on our streets is officially live. Yesterday, the Common Council passed the ordinance unanimously.

Let me be clear — I don’t want vehicles impounded. What I want is behavioral change and compliance so that impounds don’t need to happen. However, if you’re caught in the act, your vehicle will be taken — on top of citations and possible arrest — and getting it back won’t be easy. You’ll need to pay all outstanding citations (not just those from the incident), have a valid driver’s license, valid insurance, and pay all towing and storage fees. Also note, once that vehicle arrives at the tow lot, the 90-day clock starts ticking — and on the 91st day, the vehicle may be auctioned off or destroyed and recycled.

Any and all vehicles impounded will be a case of self-inflicted punishment. The choice is yours, reckless drivers.

Milwaukee Police Department officers have now been given the directive, and again, this ordinance is officially LIVE.

While I led this charge, I did not do it alone. My sincere thanks go out to every resident, advocate, and partner who stood beside me (in addition to my Council colleagues) and pushed for this change.

This is not the end of the fight — it’s another step forward. I will continue exploring every possible approach to hold reckless drivers accountable and protect the safety of every person in our city.

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.