Ald. Donovan offers anti-crime proposals, denies mayoral run
In a first-of-its-kind address, Milwaukee Ald. Bob Donovan outlined three public safety proposals, weighed in on outgoing Police Chief Edward Flynn’s replacement — and denied he is contemplating another mayoral run.
Donovan, chairman of Common Council’s Public Safety and Health Committee, delivered the first “State of Public Safety in the City of Milwaukee” at City Hall on Tuesday — the title presumably a riff on the mayor’s annual state of the city address.
Donovan ran for mayor in 2016, losing to incumbent Tom Barrett 70% to 30%. Another south side alderman, Tony Zielinski of Bay View, already has declared candidacy for the 2020 mayoral race.
“I haven’t contemplated it,” Donovan said of running for mayor again, adding he is working on issues in his district and citywide safety problems.
“That decision won’t be made for quite some time, if at all it is,” he said.
In his address, Donovan criticized the Milwaukee County district attorney’s office, the juvenile justice system and Flynn, who announced his retirement Monday.
“I am not fabricating, falsifying or exaggerating the public safety crisis confronting Milwaukee,” Donovan said. “I have not stood here for what must now be counted as years and sounded unwarranted alarms.”
Donovan also said he was “pleased” Flynn is retiring, saying the chief had lost the confidence of the department’s rank-and-file and of the wide majority of Common Council.
Donovan said he hopes the city’s Fire and Police Commission, which is responsible for hiring the next chief, will seek a candidate with “roots in the community” who will “move aggressively” to re-establish safety, share “difficult truths” and approach elected officials and residents alike with “candor and transparency.” He declined to name potential candidates he would support.
Donovan’s speech also outlined several steps, some of which were part Common Council’s 2016 Public Safety Action Plan. They include:
❚ Calling for state lawmakers to review penalties for violent offenses, lengthening those penalties “as appropriate,” and making sentences for repeat offenders mandatory.
❚ Asking Gov. Scott Walker to convene a special commission to study the juvenile justice system and “revise it in ways reflective of the modern reality of juvenile crime.”
❚ Asking Barrett to establish a special commission to study and make recommendations about the long-term financing of municipal operations.
“It may surprise you all to hear that I don’t think every problem confronting this community and the Milwaukee Police Department is the fault of the mayor and Chief Flynn,” Donovan said.
He said the state’s local government funding system is “broken” and has forced Barrett and the Common Council to reduce staffing levels at the Police Department.
“I was pleasantly surprised that Alderman Donovan recognized the fiscal challenges that the city faces,” Barrett told reporters Tuesday. “As I’ve said hundreds of times, people have to understand that the Police Department budget is larger than the entire property tax levy for the City of Milwaukee.”
Barrett urged Donovan and other aldermen and business leaders to help him push Walker and state lawmakers for change, such as giving Milwaukee the authority to have a referendum on a half-cent local sales tax.
“We don’t need a commission for that,” the mayor said. Asked why his proposals are focused on the mayor or at the state level, Donovan said: “When you want something done, you’ve got to get to the people to make it happen.”
When it comes to juvenile justice issues, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Joseph Donald urged Donovan and others critical of the system to look beyond headlines and TV soundbites.
“I think people look at certain highprofile cases and paint with a broad brush,” said Donald, the presiding judge at Children’s Court.
“Most of the kids who come in contact with the court do quite well and never re-offend,” he said. “Anyone recommending a complete overhaul is more than welcome to actually come out and meet with me and see what really goes on.”