MILWAUKEE – The Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted (18-0) a resolution today to study the how the Office of the Sheriff might serve as transit security for the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS).
Milwaukee County has a responsibility to provide a safe and secure environment for our drivers and passengers. We need sheriff’s deputies with full law enforcement authorities – including the power to make arrests – on county buses,” said Supervisor Dan Sebring, sponsor of the proposal.
Supervisor Sebring’s resolution calls for the Office of the Sheriff to lead the study of how it might assume full law enforcement authority over transit security duties currently provided to MCTS by a private vendor.
Currently, Milwaukee County contracts with a private firm to provide security on MCTS buses at an annual cost of $1.5 million.
Sebring’s resolution calls for exploring all available funding sources including state and federal law enforcement grants.
The resolution calls for the study group to report back to the County Board no later than May of 2019.