Security in Certain Convenience Food Stores.
Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 68-33
in effect68-33. Security in Certain Convenience Food Stores.
1. REGULATIONS. Unless otherwise provided in this section, every convenience food store shall:
a. Locate the cash register so that the employee and customer are both visible from the storefront, provided that this location can be accomplished without incurring additional cost that would not otherwise be ordinarily incurred.
b. Keep glass entrance and exit doors clear of any signs or advertisements, with the exception of a sign which states that the cash register contains $50 or less and that the safe is not accessible to employees.
c. Maintain a safe conforming to the standards of the chief of police.
d. Provide lighting for the store's parking area during all hours of darkness when employees or customers are on the premises at a minimum average of 2-foot candles per square foot, unless the store is not open for business after sunset and before sunrise.
e. Install at least 2 high resolution surveillance security cameras which can produce reproducible digital color images from a digital video recorder. Each camera shall display a date and time stamp on each image, and produce retrievable images suitable for permanent police records. Digital video recording equipment shall be maintained in proper working order and operated at all times during store operating hours. In addition:
e-1. At least one camera shall provide an overall view of the counter and register area, and at least one camera shall be positioned to provide a clear, identifiable, full-frame image of the face of each person entering and leaving the store. Camera views shall not be obstructed by store fixtures or displays.
e-2. If a time-lapse digital video recorder is operated, recording speed shall be approved by the chief of police.
e-3. All digital video records shall be stored in a manner provided by the police department, maintained in good viewing order for 30 days after recording, and made available upon request to the licensing committee and chief of police.
f. Have customer entrance and customer exit doors that are made of glass or other transparent material, except that a store that does not have such doors on August 17, 1994 shall not be required to install such doors until the holder of the store's food dealer license changes.
2. EXEMPTIONS. a. The requirements of this section do not apply to a convenience food store that conforms to either of the following descriptions:
a-1. The store is located in an enclosed shopping structure, enclosed commercial building or hospital. A convenience food store is not in an enclosed structure or building if a customer can enter it directly from the outside.
a-2. The store physically separates employees from customers with a solid partition that bars a person from entering the employee area from the customer area, has a secure lock on the employee side of any door between the employee area and the customer area, and conducts all transactions through a service window or similar arrangement.
b. At the discretion of the chief of police, a convenience store may be exempted from any or all of the regulations specified in sub. 1. The owner or operator of a convenience food store that seeks an exemption under this paragraph shall submit to the police department a written exemption request that includes the specific reasons that the applicant believes the exemption should be granted. The chief of police may grant an exemption to a requestor if the chief of police finds that the security provisions at the location are adequate.
3. ROBBERY PREVENTION TRAINING. All owners and employees of a convenience food store shall be required to complete a training course in robbery prevention approved of or provided by the police department within 120 days of ownership or employment.
Source: City of Milwaukee Legislative Reference Bureau, Milwaukee City Charter and Code of Ordinances (city.milwaukee.gov master PDFs)URL: https://city.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary/Groups/ccClerk/Ordinances/Volume-1/CH68.pdf#page=13Fetched: 10/26/2026