PUBLIC SAFETY

VILLARD AVENUE VISION ZERO INITIATIVE

Villard Avenue has implemented a district-wide safety initiative that focuses on implementing several ongoing projects that directly address public safety in our community. We want our businesses and surrounding community to be proactive. We encourage residents to join local neighborhood block watches as well as engage our business community at our quarterly safety meetings.

We want our local businesses to get to know their business and residential neighbors and their surroundings. We also offer information and education so that active businesses can learn how to recognize suspicious behavior, not become targets, and how to report both non-emergencies (such as dumping, abandoned vehicles, etc .) and how to report dangerous behavior and emergencies to the proper channels.  

District Wide Public Safety Initiatives, Programs, and Projects:

·       Vision Zero Reckless Driving Initiative

Recent adoption of the 4 point model: “Equity, Engineering, Educational Outreach, & Enforcement.”  It is our vision to see zero reckless driving deaths in our district.  

EQUITY:

·       In May 2019, we held in-person community visioning sessions with the residents, businesses, and stakeholders of our neighborhood.

EDUCATION & OUTREACH:

·       “I Matter, You Matter, We Matter,” is a district-wide campaign that aims to curb reckless driving in our community

ENGINEERING

·       DPW RAPID IMPLEMENTATION

·       Villard “LIVE IN COLOR” Pedestrian Safety Art project

ENFORCEMENT: MPD partnership with Villard BID to gather traffic data

·       District for deployed a Speed board on 33^rd and Villard which is currently measuring data began May 1^st, 2021

In addition to Vision Zero, we work on crime prevention and public safety in various other formats including but not limited to:

1.     Quarterly Crime Prevention Meetings. 2021 Schedule: February 9th, May 11th, August 10th, November 9th

2.     Our Annual “Fight Blight Hikes” where we walk through our corridor with the City of Milwaukee’s Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS), the Department of Public Works, Safe and sound and District’s 4 & 7 police Departments. We take photos and notes of issues that need to be corrected to reduce blight an revitalize Villard Avenue.

3.     We offer a Safety & Security system/camera reimbursement grants program for businesses in the district