On Tuesday, March 4, the Oconomowoc Police Department evacuated City Hall after a “Suspicious package” was found. According to a member of the department, due to its appearance, they had reason to believe that the package could be some kind of explosive. Out of strong safety precautions, Oconomowoc City Hall was then forced to evacuate at the police chief’s request. The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office sent their ‘bomb squad’, the Explosive Ordinance Disposal unit. This team determined that the suspicious package was not a threat.
The event raised alarm after the Oconomowoc Police Department began urging citizens to stay clear of the 100 block of E. Wisconsin Avenue. They claimed that the area was under active investigation. The department also promised to keep the public informed with additional updates as they became available.
Those in the area with cell phones also received an alert from the local police. This alert also encouraged people to avoid the area along Wisconsin Avenue and Pleasant Street.
Locals reported seeing a fire truck parked near the building at the time. Caution tape was also hung, signaling to those nearby that the scene was still active. People could still be found walking in the area although the emergency response had a clear presence.
As of 2 p.m., the Oconomowoc Police Department and the MSCO bomb squad determined that there was no threat. City Hall was reopened and normal operations were resumed. The Oconomowoc Common Council meeting scheduled for the evening of March 4 at 7:30 p.m. is still set to be held. As of 4 p.m., the investigation is still ongoing although the scene has been cleared and the evacuation has been lifted.
