MCSO gets more money to continue crackdown on speeders

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – A crackdown on speeding and reckless driving that began six weeks ago on Milwaukee County freeways will continue.

Milwaukee County Acting Sheriff Richard Schmidt said Friday his office will be getting $20,000 from the Department of Transportation.

The money will go toward overtime for deputies working extra patrols on Milwaukee County freeways.

The so-called saturation patrols have been in effect since Schmidt took over as acting sheriff on September 1.

In that time, the office has issued 1,500 traffic tickets, with almost 1,100 of those as speeding tickets. There have also been 107 arrests.

Schmidt says it's nearly double the amount of tickets given out in the same time period last year -- but it's not enough.

 “This ridiculously fast driving intoxicated driving its ruining people's lives. Their sidelined they lose their jobs they have permanent injuries and they have to live with it because someone chose to drive with excessive speed,” says Acting Sheriff Schmidt.

The initial $20,000 is part of a 2-month pilot program. There could be more money to come in the future depending on the impact it has.