A violent weekend across the Milwaukee area is highlighting a debate over who should lead the city's Office of Community Wellness and Safety (OCWS).The recent violence ranged from deadly shootings to a domestic violence standoff and large fights breaking out at a mall.In Glendale, police arrested at least 13 people when over 100 teens showed up at Bayshore for a "takeover" during hours requiring parental supervision. Violence prevention groups from Milwaukee, such as 414Life, responded to the scene to help de-escalate the situation there.Watch: Community split on Milwaukee violence prevention director nominee as weekend violence renews debate Community split on Milwaukee violence prevention director nominee as weekend violence renews debateOn Saturday, police and SWAT teams responded to a home near 68th and Brentwood. Police said a 33-year-old man threatened to shoot people inside and barricaded himself. The man shot a police drone before officers used gas to force him out later that night.On Monday morning, a 51-year-old was shot and killed near 105th and Villa on the northwest side. It was one of several shootings across Milwaukee this weekend."We just don't have time to play politics. We need leadership right now and a clear defined leadership," said Shawn Muhammad, Director of Men's Services at Asha Family Services, a domestic violence resource organization.The violent weekend comes as Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson's effort to appoint Karin Tyler as the director of the Office of Community Wellness and Safety hits a snag. The Common Council voted last week to send the nomination back to committee for further consideration.TMJ4 News obtained letters in support of and opposing the appointment of Tyler to lead the office, formerly known as the Office of Violence Prevention, which has a goal of stopping violence before it starts through community-wide prevention.Alderwoman Sharlen Moore pushed to send the recommendation back to committee for further discussion."I have some grave concerns about the appointment's ability to run a department," Moore said.Desilynn Smith is the Executive Director of Uniting Garden Homes, the organization that held the very first contract with the city's violence prevention team, 414 Life. She does not feel Tyler is the best fit for the job. "I think the mayor is doing the community a disservice. I think that it should be opened up more," Smith said. "It just became a lot of broken promises, no communication, no inclusion and that's where were at today."Multiple letters to the Common Council from concerned citizens claim Tyler is difficult to get ahold of, and has a reputation for not returning calls, texts, or emails, and canceling meetings."She has been there the longest, but just because she's the last one standing doesn't mean that is the best man for the job," Smith said.Others say Tyler's decades of experience are what neighbors need right now.Shawn Muhammad is the director of men's services at Asha Family Services, a domestic violence resource organization. "She's consistent, I believe she's creative, I believe that she has a love for the community that she serves," Muhammad said.The number of letters of support for Tyler outnumbers the letters of opposition. I did notice many of the groups in favor receive funding from the office.TMJ4's Ryan Jenkins asked Muhammad how he would respond to those who say they're only supporting Tyler because of the group's desire for funding from OCWS."Regardless of who is in the office, we will likely get funding. Because we deserve the funding because of the work that we've done," Muhammad said.Leaders and activists hope a decision is made soon, with a busy summer fast approaching."I respect Alderwoman Moore too much to say that her concerns aren't valid. However, if you know something about Ms. Tyler that we don't know, I think we should speak straight words. Because whats going on in the community - we can't play politics," Muhammad said.Jenkins did reached out to Karin Tyler and the Office of Community Wellness and Safety for comment on these concerns, but did not receive a response by deadline.This story was reported on-air by Ryan Jenkins and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.Its about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for TMJ4 on your device.Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip ...read more read less