Gregory Moore
Chief of Public Safety

To reduce crime and maintain safety in public housing developments, the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) created a Public Safety section in the early 1990s.  The mission of HACM’s Public Safety is to enhance the quality of life for residents living in public housing, by working cooperatively with residents, staff, the public and other law enforcement agencies to preserve the peace, reduce crime and provide for a safe, drug-free environment in which to live, work and raise families.

The Public Safety Department has a staff of 24 full-time employees, several of whom are bilingual, who provide service 24 hours, 365 days a year.  In addition to fielding calls for Public Safety, a 24-hour Communication Center answers calls for emergency maintenance and other Housing Authority services.  Public Safety Specialists patrol developments on foot, bicycles, and marked motor vehicles.  Specialists also monitor building surveillance equipment and respond to medical and burglar alarms. Public Safety Officers attend each of the monthly Resident Organization meetings, and officers have daily contact with Housing Authority managers and residents to ensure their safety concerns are addressed. Crime prevention measures and intervention strategies are discussed and implemented.  Residents are encouraged to call Public Safety to report problems or suspicious activities as soon as they are observed.

In collaboration with the City Attorney’s Office and the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD), the Housing Authority's efforts to remove illegal drug users and dealers from public housing occupancy have earned it a City of Milwaukee Innovation in City Government Award and a Merit Award from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials.