Milwaukee leaders release 2023 plans to tackle violent crime

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- City leaders like Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson along with the Office of Violence Prevention release a 40-page plan on how they'll tackle violent crimes. It notes that 95% of homicides in 2022 were gun related.

"The plan highlights ongoing and new initiatives to prevent, respond and reduce violent crime in our neighborhoods," said Chief Norman.

In the lengthy plan of action, it pans out the strategies of community engagement, crime reduction partnerships and district-level micro crime plans.

"Within that particular crime plan we've identified 12 areas where districts are saying, 'This is where we're going to put more work into because the numbers, the data are showing areas of concern,'" said Chief Norman.

Those areas include communities in districts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.

According to the plan, the first 30 days the district micro plans, which will include the need and existing help in that area, will be reviewed with community partners and leaders. The next 60 days the approved plans will roll out.

The biggest difference within this plan compared to past years is the added resources to help decrease domestic violence said Carmen Pitre, president of Sojourner Family Peace Center.

"The chief has committed an additional seven officers to the sensitive crimes unit-- that's tangible. We're moving from one day a week to eyes on harvest cases every day of the week. We've added an additional partner to the high-risk team," said Pitre.

The targeted timeline for this plan is six months.