Contact: Rep. Young
(608) 266-3786
Madison, Wisconsin — State Representative Leon Young (D-Milwaukee) strongly opposes the carrying of guns on work sites. In response to a photo posted on Face Book over the weekend, depicting three white, city-hired subcontractors with American Sewer Services out of Hartford who were shown brandishing guns while on a work site near a school on N. 19th and W. Meinecke Avenue. Two of the workers had holstered weapons on there belts and a third had a gun in his hand. Why they displayed this type of behavior is both appalling and baffling, because the City of Milwaukee employees are already banned from carrying guns on the job. This is made clear to them when hired. It was obvious that they were not abiding by the rules. Instead they made up their own.
The City of Milwaukee Common Council is looking very close at tightening up the rules governing this incident by introducing new legislation that will prevent this type of behavior reoccurring again.
Representative Young stated, “This type of behavior violates the law that is set in place already governing the carrying of weapons while at work for the City of Milwaukee. It was these workers choice to not follow the rules that every City of Milwaukee employee must follow. It was very dangerous and disrespect for the citizens who live in this district and those who drive through it as well. What was the fear, paranoia and safety factor surrounding this type of gross and blatant behavior by these workers? They went too far. It’s time we examine employing people in areas of Milwaukee that parallel and matches up with the ethnic make-up of those who work in various neighborhoods. Hire people who were born, raised and look like the people in the neighborhoods that they are working in and eliminate any fear and pre-disposed apprehensions about working in certain neighborhoods. This incident calls for a resounding change and the assignment of workers, contractors and how they fit in harmoniously and law abidingly in specific neighborhoods.”
