The Milwaukee Police Department has released its 2025 Violent Crime Reduction Plan.
First created in 2023 and updated this year, the new plan provides data on violent crime trends in Milwaukee, current MPD strategies to reduce violent crime and specific plans for each police district in the city.
Here is an overview of plans for Black and Brown neighborhoods in Milwaukee.
Find out what police district your neighborhood is in here.
District 2 – Near South Side
Homicides, nonfatal shootings and aggravated assaults dropped from 2023 to 2024 in District 2. But robberies and auto thefts saw significant increases while carjackings were also up slightly, according to data from MPD included in the plan.
Neighborhoods identified as having high concentrations of crime include Clarke Square, Walker’s Point, Muskego Way, Historic Mitchell Street and Lincoln Village.
According to the crime reduction plan, District 2 police want to address crime in those neighborhoods by increasing community engagement and working with stakeholders and representatives from Safe & Sound and Revitalize Milwaukee.
Initiatives include the use of dedicated patrols to target individuals wanted for firearms crimes; collaborations with the FBI; increased bike patrols; and prostitution sweeps to “combat the effects of the street-based sex-trade that includes overdose fatalities.” Human trafficking victims will be offered resources from organizations, including the Benedict Center.
District 3 – North Side and West Side
An overview of MPD data from District 3 found that homicides, shootings, aggravated assaults, carjackings and auto thefts were all down last year compared with 2023.
ShotSpotter activations also decreased in the neighborhoods while calls to police for service involving weapons increased by 15%. ShotSpotter uses technology to detect and locate gunshots.
Priority neighborhoods in the district include Sherman Park, Metcalfe Park and Washington Park. Also identified as crime hot spots were North Division, Walnut Hill, Midtown, Triangle North and the Concordia and Avenues West neighborhoods.
Policing strategies for the area include working with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections to monitor violent offenders; targeting individuals with firearms violations; and working with other police districts to gather intelligence on gang activity.
Officers from District 3 will be assigned to “target wanted shooters and robbers and follow cases through conviction.”
District 4 – Far North and Northwest Side
Homicides and auto thefts decreased in District 4 last year, but several other crimes, including robberies, aggravated assaults and nonfatal shootings, were up. Carjackings increased from 65 to 90 in the area from 2023 to 2024, according to MPD data.
Plans to address the increase in violent crime include establishing additional block watch initiatives with residents and engaging with more residents, business and property owners.
High-crime focus areas include Woodlands, McGovern Park, Silver Swan, Silver Spring, Valhalla, Thurston Woods, Fairfield and parts of Old North Milwaukee
Specific policing initiatives include working with other police districts to gather intelligence on gangs; using undercover place-based operations; and focusing enforcement on violent offenders.
MPD District 4 also plans to create deterrence strategies for at-risk youths in collaboration with outreach and intervention agencies.
The district also plans to increase engagement and visibility of officers by assigning dedicated squads in focus areas; increasing bike patrols; and hosting regular check-ins at locations where crimes occurred with the property owners.
District 4 also will operate a district-level Domestic Violence High-Risk Team program in collaboration with the district attorney’s office, Sojourner Family Peace Center and Froedtert Hospital to help reduce violence.
District 5 – North and Northeast Side
Homicides, nonfatal shootings and aggravated assaults all dropped last year in District 5, but it remained one of the city’s hottest spots for car thefts and carjackings in 2024, according to MPD data.
Priority neighborhoods in the area include Garden Homes, Arlington Heights, Borchert Field, North Division, sections of Old North Milwaukee, Franklin Heights, Harambee and Amani.
Goals for the neighborhoods include increasing collaboration among intergovernmental partners to identify problem locations; building increased relationships with stakeholders; having an in-house advocate to collaborate with police to assist victims of domestic violence; partnering with the Community Hub House in Garden Homes to increase community engagement; and involving youths in block watches.
District 5 will also work with a dedicated district attorney to proactively address community concerns and with the city attorney’s office to monitor nuisance properties.
District 6 – Southwest and Far South Side
Most violent crimes were up in District 6 last year compared with 2023. Homicides increased from three to seven, while auto thefts also increased significantly, according to MPD data. Carjackings and robberies did decrease in the district, and calls for service also dropped by 10%.
Areas identified as having high concentrations of crime were Southgate/South Point; Polonia/Morgandale; Bay View; Jackson Park; Layton Park; Saveland Park; and Tippecanoe.
Community-oriented policing initiatives will include providing an in-house domestic violence advocate; reallocating personnel to increase community engagement; and working with Business Improvement Districts, hotel owners and managers to help educate residents on situational awareness and crime prevention.
Beat patrols will also be initiated in hot spots for crime. Police also plan to collaborate with Bay View businesses to share more information related to crime, nuisance and traffic concerns.
Policing strategies to reduce violent crime in District 6 include creating a Problem-Solving Team to coordinate responses to major investigations.
District 6 also will reinstitute a “Late Power” shift and specialty assignment squad to provide additional personnel during peak crime times.
The district also plans to collaborate with the state Department of Corrections to have an in-house office to monitor violent offenders on probation.
The goal, according to the Violent Crime Reduction Plan, is to reduce recidivism. Also included in the goals for District 6 is to have an in-house district attorney to address violent crime by pursuing criminal charges and to create an Investigations Team to increase resources for violent crime investigations.
District 7- Northwest and North Side
Aside from a 23% increase in carjackings, violent crime fell across the board in 2024 in District 7.
Priority neighborhoods for police are Saint Joseph, Sherman Park, Wahl Park, Lincoln Creek, Roosevelt Grove, Hampton Heights and parts of Old North Milwaukee.
Community-oriented initiatives include engaging and mentoring youths; expanding community outreach via social media; and enhancing relationships with faith-based groups.
Specific initiatives include using a place-based approach to address homicides and shootings; dedicating officers and supervisors to establish relationships with licensed premises; enhancing partnerships with other law enforcement agencies to maintain safety at the parks; and utilizing Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles to reduce crime.
District 7 also plans to collaborate with the state Department of Corrections to provide help to individuals under supervision.

