This Monday, the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office joined forces with other law enforcement agencies — including Wisconsin state troopers — to target truck drivers with a major safety crackdown.
Sheriff Richard Schmidt held a press conference on Monday to announce the formation of the “Joint Truck Enforcement Task Force” as a response to the May 2017 death of 51 year old motorist Jay Tichelaar, who died when a corroded brake drum broke off of a truck and crashed through his windshield. The truck driver involved was never found.
Schmidt told WAOW that the task force is designed to increase safety by identifying and removing unsafe trucks from the roads.
The Joint Truck Enforcement Task Force will be on the lookout for both driver and mechanical violations, according to Schmidt: “The massive size of trucks when not properly maintained provides a significant danger to the motoring public. The enforcement efforts will hold companies accountable for equipment violations, as well as aggressive operators who speed, tailgate and drive without due regard for the safety of the vehicles around them. We are changing the culture to avoid catastrophic consequences.”
Agents with the Wisconsin State Patrol, Milwaukee city police officers, and the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office kicked off enforcement activities on Monday afternoon by setting up an inspection checkpoint in Franklin. According to reports, one trucking company was fined as much as $15,000 for an overweight violation.
You can view video of the press conference below.