Press & Media Archives

CBC Connect with Mark Kelly Features Safe & Sound

December 2011

Prince George was declared Canada's most dangerous city for the second year in a row in December of 2011 by Macleans Magazine, based on data from 2009. They didn't hesitate to call Milwaukee for help. Milwaukee has seen a steady decline in crime over the last several years. Even with these successes, Milwaukee is no comparison to Prince Georges “crime wave.” If the barometer is homicides, Prince George had zero in 2011 while Milwaukee has had a five year average of 95 homicides and 500 near fatal shootings according the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission. Even though it is a much smaller city, Prince George should count their blessings. Joe Kubisiak of Safe & Sound was interviewed on the news show “Connect with Mark Kelly.” When asked why Milwaukee was successful at reducing crime he commented that it was all about youth, residents and law enforcement working together to address neighborhood problems. There are many facets to the Safe & Sound strategy and because of its responsiveness is always evolving, but a big part of the strategy can be summed up as better communication, stronger leadership, increased responsiveness, and a stronger sense of community among youth, residents and law enforcement. “With the police department in Milwaukee comprising almost 50% of our budget, the relationship with other stakeholders and resources cannot be adversarial or finger pointing,” explains Kubisiak, “as our Police Chief likes to say, ‘public safety is not a spectator sport.’” You can view the interview on the CBC, Canada’s national public broadcaster at: Connect with Mark Kelly

view/download the PDF Press Release: Organizations Collaborate to Improve Safety in Riverwest & Harambee Neighborhoods

July 2011

MILWAUKEE, Wis., July 8, 2011 – More than 100 volunteers from Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin will spread out in work teams across the Riverwest and Harambee neighborhoods on Saturday, July 9, as part of a Community Action Project designed to make six square blocks of the city a safer and more attractive place to live. In the wake of the disturbing incidents last Sunday involving youth, projects like this are vital - to protect and engage neighborhood residents and to let them know that others care about their safety. The Riverwest and Harambee neighborhoods will be the first sites in a series of Community Action Projects taking place in July and August across the city. A collaboration between Rock the Lakes Milwaukee and Safe & Sound, along with dozens of other neighborhood and faith-based organizations, will spearhead a variety of projects to make improvements in five central city neighborhoods that struggle with higher levels of crime. Projects include improved lighting in alleys and on porches, removal of debris and heavy brush in alleys where criminal activity can be hidden, installation of eye bolts in garages to prevent theft, garage numbering to help police find addresses in alleys, graffiti removal, improvements to several central city parks, beautifying streets with flower planters and benches, garbage clean up, and building community gardens. The projects will mobilize hundreds of volunteers from throughout southeastern Wisconsin and will be coordinated by Safe & Sound and Rock the Lakes Milwaukee, with funding from Rock the Lakes to numerous grass roots organizations working in these neighborhoods. - MORE - Organizations collaborate to improve safety – Add One Barb Notestein, executive director of Safe & Sound, commented, “The Community Action Project demonstrates that a collaborative approach involving residents, youth, churches and neighborhood organizations is a powerful and effective way to build neighborhoods and reduce crime.” The CAP effort is being led by a committee of local leaders, chaired by Diane De La Santos, executive director of City on a Hill, a faith-based nonprofit organization working as a catalyst to transform the lives of central city youth and families. She noted, “The timing and location of our first CAP project in the Riverwest area less than a week after the unfortunate incidents of July 3 highlight how important it is to reach central city youth with positive messages and programs – for their sake and the safety of our whole community – to prevent the kind of senseless violence that endangers lives and destroys futures.” On July 9 the volunteers will gather at 510 East Burleigh at the Holton Youth + Family Center, a former YMCA facility now being revitalized to serve youth and families in the surrounding neighborhoods. Volunteers will arrive at 9:00 a.m., pick up their supplies and bright green Rock the Lakes Street Team T-shirts, and work until 1:00 p.m. Rock the Lakes volunteers will come from churches involved in the planning of the Rock the Lakes Milwaukee festival to be held at Veteran’s Park on August 20-21. Safe & Sound volunteers will come from their partnerships with neighborhood residents, the Riverwest Neighborhood Association, Milwaukee Time Exchange, several neighborhood block clubs, the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Violence Prevention Initiative, and the Holton Youth + Family Center. Rock the Lakes Milwaukee is a Christian music festival developed in partnership with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and 303 area churches. It will take place at Veteran’s Park August 20-21, and will include KidsFest Saturday morning from 10 a.m.-noon, YouthFest Saturday evening from 4-9 p.m., and FamilyFest Sunday evening from 4-7:30 p.m. This free, fun, outdoor festival will combine nationally known bands, with gospel messages from Franklin Graham, the eldest son of Billy Graham. (www.rockthelakes.org) Safe & Sound, Inc. is a non-profit organization committed to the mission of reducing violent crime in communities and among youth by blending law enforcement, neighborhood organizing and youth development. Safe & Sound’s vision is “Making Milwaukee neighborhoods safe places to work, live and raise families.” Safe & Sound was established in 1998 as an initiative to reduce crime, especially violent crime, in high-crime, generally low-income neighborhoods through strong public-private partnerships. Today, the initiative operates in 21 City of Milwaukee neighborhoods. (http://www.safesound.org)

view/download the PDF Press Conference: Crime in Milwaukee falls 12.3% overall this year

October 2009

Barb Notestein, Executive Director of Safe & Sound, spoke at a press conference with Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn, Mayor Tom Barrett and Common Council President Willie Hines, Jr. to recognize the 12.3% decrease in overall crime in Milwaukee. Chief Flynn has used his Neighborhood Task Force (NTF) to focus on crime hot spots, and the data suggests it is proving to be a success. He also emphasized that this success is attributable to residents who work closely with the police and are active participants in keeping their neighborhoods safe. Barbara Notestein described how the Safe & Sound strategy has built a base of resident support, law-enforcement collaboration and youth anti-crime programming in these same neighborhoods. Safe & Sound Community Partners are out on the street every day and have also seen a noticeable decrease in many NTF neighborhoods in the level of violence and increase in resident involvement. Notestein highlighted one particular example of a Southside block club borne out of a serious gang problem and the organizing efforts of Community Partner Annie Weidert. It is the day-to-day collaborative efforts of law enforcement, residents and great community mobilizers like Annie that can take pride in the 12.3% drop in crime in Milwaukee. "That's a trend, not an anomaly," Police Chief Edward A. Flynn said. "That's an important point to stress here. That's a big reduction, a one-quarter decrease in violent crime in two years." LINK: MPD Website Coverage Milwaukee Police Department Data Downloads and Links LINK: JSOnline article Crime in Milwaukee falls 12.3% overall this year By Ryan Haggerty of the Journal Sentinel Posted: Oct. 20, 2009 6:00 a.m. VIDEO LINK: WISN Channel 12 Police: Violent Crime Down In Milwaukee MPD Releases Crime Statistics Tuesday

view/download the PDF 18 Milwaukee men named in drug gang indictment

October 2009

LINK TO ARTICLE: 18 Milwaukee men named in drug gang indictment By Bruce Vielmetti of the Journal Sentinel Posted: Oct. 20, 2009 Eighteen Milwaukee men have been charged in federal court with being part of two street gangs called the Westlawn and Six Trey involved with drug trafficking and violence for 12 years.

view/download the PDF Rock County targeted to join drug task force area

October 2009

By Bruce Vielmetti of the Journal Sentinel Posted: Oct. 7, 2009 Link to JSOnline article:  Rock County targeted to join drug task force area The state's U.S. senators have asked the federal drug czar's office to bring the county under the umbrella of the Milwaukee High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, [part of the Safe & Sound strategy] which is a joint operation of local, state and federal law enforcement with federal funding that targets illicit drug operations in five Wisconsin counties...

view/download the PDF Operation Payback makes its mark after graffiti taggers leave theirs

August 2009

Link to JSOnline article: Operation Payback makes its mark after graffiti taggers leave theirs By Tom Tolan of the Journal Sentinel Posted: Aug. 25, 2009

view/download the PDF Should we teach kids gun safety?

August 2009

Link to article: Should we teach kids gun safety? James E. Causey Opinion: JSOnline Posted: Aug. 22, 2009 James E. Causey is a Journal Sentinel editorial writer and columnist. E-mail jcausey@journalsentinel.com

view/download the PDF Walking the Walk

December 2008

Article published in Shelter Force magazine written by Geraud Blanks, Safe & Sound Public Ally In a city full of problems and promise, I'm taking the first steps toward learning up close what community organizing can accomplish...

view/download the PDF Conversation on Youth Violence with WUWM

June 2008

Link: Project Milwaukee - Youth Violence In June of 2008 WUWM explored youth violence through more than 30 radio reports and a community forum. The stories and interviews featured both the causes and the solutions to the problem. Barbara Notestein, Executive Director of Safe & Sound, and Aaron Edwards,  one of the Safe & Sound's outreach workers or “Community Partners,” spoke with Jane Hampden as part of Project Milwaukee: Youth Violence.

view/download the PDF WUWM's Project Milwaukee: Youth Violence Live Radio Forum

June 2008

Link: WUWM's Project Milwaukee: Youth Violence forum was held on Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008 in the Digital Theater at Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin. The community forum brought together a diverse panel and the community to discuss youth violence and programs that are successfully reducing youth violence. Barbara Notestein, Executive Director of Safe & Sound, was one of seven distinguished panelists to speak on the subject on WUWM live radio.

view/download the PDF Vandals Required to Clean Neighborhoods

April 2008

 Vandals Required to Clean Neighborhoods

By Marge Pitrof April 16, 2008 | WUWM | Milwaukee, WI  

view/download the PDF Anti-crime Initiative Taking Over Neighborhood Program

April 2007

By Georgia Pabst of the Journal Sentinel Posted: Apr. 12, 2007 http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/29359294.html

view/download the PDF Guest Comment: Safe & Sound making impact on crime

November 2004

Guest Comment: Safe & Sound making impact on crime

The Business Journal of Milwaukee - by Barbara Notestein

view/download the PDF On Youth Violence: Anti-crime program in Milwaukee is paying dividends

February 2002

On Youth Violence: Anti-crime program in Milwaukee is paying dividends

The Business Journal of Milwaukee - by Nicolette Bautista

view/download the PDF Milwaukee wins federal grant to monitor crime

November 2000

Milwaukee wins federal grant to monitor crime

The Business Journal of Milwaukee

view/download the PDF Comment on Safe & Sound: Businesses can help city be Safe & Sound

October 1998

Comment on Safe & Sound: Businesses can help city be Safe & Sound

The Business Journal of Milwaukee - by Patti Brash Mckeithan and Ed Zore

view/download the PDF Task Force on Crime to Approve Crackdown on Gangs

March 1998

Author: Georgia Pabst of the Journal Sentinel staff Contact: jsedit@onwis.com URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v98/n185/a02.html Pubdate: Sun, 15 Mar 1998 Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI) Website: http://www.jsonline.com/

view/download the PDF