The City of Milwaukee’s Commission on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault has issued recommendations to make the Intermodal Station safer after a woman reported a sexual assault there in April.
The incident where passengers get on buses and trains led prosecutors to charge 31-year-old Cephus Tyre Johnson with three counts of second-degree sexual assault by use of force on April 13.
The recommendations, identified by the 19-person city commission after an evaluation of the incident, included the following: adding more trained security personnel who patrol near restrooms, enhance de-escalation and bystander trainings for all staff, improved lighting, expand video camera coverage and more actively monitor them, posting signage about sexual harassment, and developing clearer safety reporting and rapid response protocols, according to a May 26 statement drafted by Commission Chair Alderwoman Larresa Taylor.
But decisions on whether these recommendations are implemented lie with Wisconsin’s Department of Transportation, Alderman Robert Bauman said in an email to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
A WisDOT spokesperson said a California-based contractor, called Milwaukee Intermodal Partners, is responsible for day-to-day operations at the building, including security, through a contractual lease agreement negotiated years ago, according to a statement sent to Fox6.
“The lease agreement restricts our department from taking control of building operations without buying out the lease and paying millions of dollars, or breaking the lease, owing millions of dollars and facing costly legal action,” according to the statement.
“We are extremely concerned about the safety and security of the building and the surrounding area, including the number of police calls. We have staff actively working in the building and we are also concerned about their safety. What happened on April 9, 2026, is a tragedy and is something that should never happen. We are doing all we can under the existing lease agreement to prevent something like that from happening again.”
The spokesperson did say WisDOT is attempting to work collaboratively with the contractor to address a list of security issues the department’s risk and safety team has assembled.
The Journal Sentinel did not immediately hear back from WisDOT spokespeople on May 27.
The Commission on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault identified possible safety improvements at an April meeting after hearing a briefing on the sexual assault incident from the Milwaukee Police Department’s Sensitive Crimes unit.
Asked about the commission’s next steps in encouraging the implementation of the safety improvements, a spokesperson said commissioners plan to engage with WisDOT.
“We remain committed to working collaboratively with the local alder representing the area and desire to work collaboratively with him, along with other governmental entities, to develop meaningful solutions that help prevent future incidents of assault and ensure the safety of all individuals who utilize the space,” Taylor wrote in the statement alongside the recommendations.
The commission is tasked with for coordinating community responses to domestic violence and sexual assault, addressing safety concerns, strengthening prevention efforts and improving the systems that impact victims and survivors of violence, according to the city’s website.
Members of the commission include law enforcement personnel, victims advocates, court staff, school personnel, health care providers, policy makers and prosecutors.
First established in 1979, it is one of the longest-standing commissions in the city, according to the spokesperson.
Contact Claudia Levens at clevens@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X at @levensc13.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Increased safety recommended at Intermodal Station after sexual assault report
Reporting by Claudia Levens, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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