Fingerprints required for license?

I was looking into getting a photography license from the city, and it states that getting fingerprinted is required from the police department.

Not that I have anything to hide (or willing to admit on the internet), but is this a common practice?

What do you mean, "photography license from the city?"

If I want to sell photos (in any capacity), I am required by law, to be licensed by the city.

Uh huh.

http://city.milwaukee.​gov …/ccLicenses/pro​fphoto.pdf

Biffbradford wrote in post #14966220
.... is this a common practice?

No fingerprints required over here. Heck, I don't even need a business license unless gross receipts exceed $200K. Perhaps fingerprinting is common for a large metropolis?

Never heard of such a thing before in the US. Requiring a specific license to run a photography business is not even a common practice, much less requiring fingerprints.

Sounds like its just a city of Milwaukee thing.

Wow!

Somebody was not paying attention when that ordinance was passed. I guess in Milwaukee all photographers are considered criminals until proven innocent.

bigVinnie wrote in post #14967337
Wow!

Somebody was not paying attention when that ordinance was passed. I guess in Milwaukee all photographers are considered criminals until proven innocent.

It is, however, what a lot of professional photographers clamor for to keep out the dilettantes. I wonder how it's working for them.

Milwaukee probably has more user fees and licenses than any other city in the U.S. Even the mayor can't keep track of them all; during the last mayoral election it was found out that he didn't have an occupancy permit for his campaign headquarters.

http://www.jsonline.co​m/blogs/news/101122039​.html

They nickel-and-dime you to death then wonder why no one wants to do business in the city.

Wow!! Its true.

http://city.milwaukee.​gov …/ccLicenses/pro​fphoto.pdf

How is this legal? How come no one from the ACLU has sued or anything? Requiring a picture and fingerprints? Is this only for photographers?


Also, what about photographers do cities/police hate?

The conspiracy theorists have made it sound like Milwaukee has a vendetta against photographers. No doubt that this city has some odd licensing requirements and the list of categories on the city website is long. However looking at many of the categories under the business license section it seems that anyone wanting to operate a business that will have direct contact with the public will have to submit to fingerprinting. I honestly don't see this as a bad thing and if my city had the requirement I would submit for it. If this makes it so that the industry stays clean and honest how could anyone view this as a bad thing. For clarity, it doesn't look like they have singled out photographers and they are treating all business applicants the same so let's not make this about a city picking on photographers only.

Well, as I mentioned, I'm not sure it isn't something the local professional photographers actually pushed for themselves.

Interesting. Normally you need fingerprints if you are working with youth. To require it for everyone sounds like something post 9/11, a "legal" way to get everyones fingerprint in the system. Probably thought they could get away with that instead of insisting on DNA!

I don't know who you're referring to as a conspiracy theorist but I live about 30 miles from Milwaukee and its well-known that it has very onerous requirements for businesses of all size. When even those in city government can't keep track of all the permits needed to occupy a building then you know its a problem. And its counterproductive when you can easily locate in one of the suburbs where its less burdensome to operate.

ssim wrote in post #14967933
The conspiracy theorists have made it sound like Milwaukee has a vendetta against photographers. No doubt that this city has some odd licensing requirements and the list of categories on the city website is long. However looking at many of the categories under the business license section it seems that anyone wanting to operate a business that will have direct contact with the public will have to submit to fingerprinting. I honestly don't see this as a bad thing and if my city had the requirement I would submit for it. If this makes it so that the industry stays clean and honest how could anyone view this as a bad thing. For clarity, it doesn't look like they have singled out photographers and they are treating all business applicants the same so let's not make this about a city picking on photographers only.