92nd Street Block Party Shows Police-Community Relationship
Jul 30th, 2010
Building off of 2009’s successful block party at 92nd and Sheridan, yesterday’s block party on 92nd & Birch, just off Silver Spring Drive, had an impressive turnout with well over 100 people coming out. Milwaukee Police District 4 was there in numbers to meet and greet residents, many of whom they have met and interacted with in the past year. According to Captain O’Leary, the neighborhood has had its issues, but residents have been working more and more with police and enabling the beat officers who serve the area to be effective.
The Captain recalled one story of a shootout between gang members that ended up injuring a young child. Police swarmed the area to find the shooters but only when they got a tip from a resident were they able to make the arrest. The young man responsible was pointed out to police while he still had the gun on him. Officers were able to make the arrest quickly and safely and everyone was put at ease. The area has cooled down considerably – total crime is down over 20% from the same time last year – but problems persist emphasized by the rise in property crimes, particularly burglaries. Captain O’Leary and the District 4 police have been proactive in responding to the rise in burglaries dedicating multiple officers to the task and reaching out to residents to help by building strong relationships with the officers and reporting suspicious behavior.
Many residents came to enjoy the food and camaraderie with police and other residents, while some came specifically to talk with the Captain and his staff about criminal concerns they were having on their blocks. Others came with their children who received police sticker badges, teddy bears and MPD baseball cards from Community Liaison Officer Meredith and Nuisance Squad Officer Strache. In between serving hotdogs, some of District 4’s community-based prosecution unit team, Craig Shockley of Safe & Sound and Assistant District Attorney Mark Sanders, fielded questions about criminal nuisance property concerns and the area landlord compact they are working to establish. Everyone worked together to organize the event and make it a success.
In addition, the 92nd Street Block Party was not just a one-time event, but rather a momentum builder as MPD, the 4th District Community Prosecution Unit and Safe & Sound are striving to work with residents to help them organize and form an effective neighborhood block watch group to continue to improve the quality of life of the residents in the Northwest Triangle. The next meeting for residents will be on August 26th, 6 pm at Freedom Assembly Church located at 9330 W Appleton Ave.
It is a challenging but worthwhile effort building effective working relationships between law enforcement and the community. A simple block event that brings everyone together can pay off big; making the neighborhood a much cleaner, friendlier and safer place to live.
