MILWAUKEE — One day after a car landed on someone's front lawn, city officials discussed ways to curb reckless driving in Milwaukee.
Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Police Chief Jeffery Norman, and Alderman Scott Spiker were part of a panel at the Wisconsin Policy Forum’s annual board meeting to discuss crime in the city.
On the topic of reckless driving, Johnson mentioned increased efforts to add traffic calming measures to prevent high speeds and the destruction it can cause
“It’s prevention. It’s not just prevention that’s needed, though, it’s law enforcement. But it’s not just law enforcement and prevention, it’s also education.”
The crash that took down a tree near 82nd and Burleigh was the result of a police chase for a robbery suspect.
The danger the situation posed is something neighbors say is unfortunately becoming more common
TMJ4 spoke to Liddell Henley the night the crash happened, who lives steps away from the damage.
“I’m glad that tree was sitting there because otherwise it probably would have come through into my house,” Henley said.
Milwaukee police say Tuesday night's chase started when officers attempted to pull over the driver who didn’t stop, kept going at a high rate of speed, and lost control near 82nd and Burleigh, slamming into a tree and catching fire.
An 18-year-old driver, a 14-year-old girl, two 20-year-olds, and a 19-year-old were involved. They all survived and were taken to the hospital with non-fatal injuries.
Since 2008 there have been 1,999 police chases in District 7, where Tuesday's took place. Many of those ended in crashes by the vehicle being pursued.
So, what needs to change to stop the epidemic of reckless driving? Alderman Scott Spiker said more consequences are needed.
“Without that accountability step there just can't be a fundamental change in behavior, in my opinion.”
Police Chief Jeffery Norman explained that policing efforts have shifted and brought down crime stats across the city.
“The work that we're doing now is more strategic, more focused,” Norman said.
But all the voices at the table agreed that there isn't just one approach to tackle terror on the roads, and continuous work needs to be done across all sectors.
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