NewsLocal News

Actions

Milwaukee alderman upset after seeing photo of armed construction workers

Posted at 6:11 PM, Dec 04, 2017
and last updated 2017-12-05 10:49:28-05

Construction Workers on a project site near 19th Street and Meinecke Avenue were photographed with guns on the job, and the picture is going viral online causing a stir.

In the photo you can see what appears to be three men armed while working. One is holding a gun in his hand.  The other two have guns in holsters. 

Milwaukee Alderman Russell Stamper says this is a serious matter.

“I’m troubled by that type of behavior, it is bad judgment and the council does not condone that type of behavior,” Stamper said.

Stamper told TODAY'S TMJ4 he woke up Monday morning to a bunch of phone calls and emails about the photo. Since then, he’s been in contact with the city’s department of public works to thoroughly investigate.

“It appears that it is real,” Stamper said.

If you look closely at the photo, the man in the middle is wearing a Poblocki Paving vest. Poblocki's been taking lots of heat about the picture but it turns out the worker wearing the vest doesn't work for them. On Facebook, the company stated: 

"Our employees wear uniforms and are not allowed to wear blue jeans. We are an employee owned company and our employee handbook specifies no weapons.

We would never condone anything like this anywhere. This is a non employee wearing a company vest.”

The DPW confirms the workers are subcontractors with American Sewer Services based in Waukesha County.

“That will not be tolerated so wherever they’re from coming here that is unacceptable and that will not be tolerated,” Stamper said.

TODAY'S TMJ4 reached out to American Sewer Services but an employee with the company had no comment.

Stamper says American Sewer services has been summoned to speak with the city Tuesday about the photo.

The city of Milwaukee has a policy prohibiting firearms and dangerous weapons in the workplace.