Public Service Ambassadors

A Public Service Ambassador high fives a little girl.

Welcoming Faces, Friendly Places

Milwaukee’s walking concierges. Downtown’s spirit squad. Information gurus. Our Public Service Ambassadors (PSAs) go by many names. What remains consistent is their unwavering dedication to keep downtown Milwaukee clean, safe and welcoming. From locating missing children to assisting disabled motorists, the PSAs are dedicated to keeping an extra set of eyes and ears for Milwaukee’s police and fire departments—making BID #21 one of the safest districts in the city and one of the safest downtowns in the country.

Weather permitting, Milwaukee Downtown also employs a PSA bike patrol to heighten visibility. On top of contributing to safety, this amiable crew is on the front lines welcoming visitors on a daily basis. Need suggestions on things to do? How about where to stay or where to dine? Just track down a PSA. Equipped with informational brochures and a world of downtown knowledge, the PSAs always have a pulse on what’s happening.

public service ambassador with bike

4.7m+

logged visitor interactions since 2000

59,884

brochures distributed last year

157,054

hospitality assistance requests met last year

9,087

business contacts logged last year

Check Out Our Signature Events

Like our core programs, these events bring vibrancy to our neighborhoods and celebrate the heart of the downtown community. Check out our year-round lineup and join us at an upcoming event.

A crowd of people wander around among yellow city trucks for Big Truck Day.

More of What We Do

We invest in the people and the time needed to make Downtown Milwaukee a clean, safe, and welcoming environment for all. Take a closer look at ways BID #21 brings this vision to life.

Kids play in a park.

Placemaking and Public Art

We are reinvigorating public spaces with new events, exciting programming, and public art—all to make Downtown Milwaukee more vibrant, walkable, and welcoming.

Three people walk outside a building.

Economic Development 

Twelve million square feet of office inventory, plus billions of dollars in current and proposed projects, make Downtown Milwaukee the place to be for business. 

A member of the Homeless Outreach team in their car.

Quality-of-Life Initiatives

Through the creation of intervention teams, fundraising campaigns, and outreach programs, we have worked to assist and reduce the city’s unhoused population.

Kids line up to peek inside a Department of Public Works truck at Big Truck Day.

Events and Marketing

We love to celebrate with the community. From holiday festivals to weekday concert series, join us at the many events we coordinate throughout the year. 

A member of the Clean Sweep crew cleans the sidewalk.

Clean Sweep Ambassadors

They sweep. They scrub. They stop gum from ever meeting your shoe. This hardworking crew helps keep our district litter-free and sparkling clean, sunup to sundown.

A member of the landscape crew waters flowers in Milwaukee.

Landscape Crew

Over 375 planters and beds, and 75 hanging baskets brighten up the streets in our community. All thanks to these green thumbs, who rotate out arrangements every season.

A Public Service Ambassador cleans an old Milwaukee police call box.

Graffiti Removal Team

It’s not just about wiping away stubborn, unwanted markings. Graffiti removal also helps keep property values from lowering and criminal activity from rising.