A BBC2 documentary about crime in Milwaukee has raised the ire of Ald. Khalif J. Rainey.
The segment, titled "Murder in Milwaukee," describes the city as a "Midwestern city [that] encapsulates America's complex and troubled relationship with guns and the increasing disharmony between African-American communities and the police."
- GALLERY: Sherman Park Unrest
Host Louis Theroux spent time with the Milwaukee Police Department's homicide division as it investigated a killing and embedded with a family who lost someone to gun violence.
Rainey sent a letter to Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn Friday seeking "clarification about intimate crime scene access" for the BBC crew.
Rainey says he doesn't doubt the feelings expressed in the segment
"I do, however, think that this presentation presents a distorted view of the community which, as a whole, has done much to struggle and build in the midst of adverse circumstances. It gives too little credit to the honest laborers hoping to frame a better future for themselves and their children," Rainey said in the letter.
Rainey questions the crime scene access given to the film crew, "access denied to myself and the general public ... all this as council members and residents are asking for better communication with you and your officers."
The segment features Sedan Smith, the outspoken brother of Sylville Smith, who was fatally shot by a Milwaukee Police officer last year, sparking a
Rainey plans to get answers from the police department through the Public Safety and Health Committee.
