There was a news conference held this week to discuss over 100 people who have been prosecuted and arrested for a gang-related crime spree. 60 adults and 30 juveniles have been held for 100 non-fatal and 25 deadly shootings over a two-year period. The FBI, Milwaukee Police and other agencies were involved in the investigations and arrests of the suspects. It appears there was a feud going on among gang members that led to many of the shootings. Getting many of these violent offenders off the street will hopefully lead to some calm around the city.
The Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) has started a new program to try and help with incidents on the street during summer. It is called the Promise Keeper’s Program. There are over two dozen of what they call change makers who will be sent to 13 areas of the city in hopes of making neighborhoods safer. “These individuals will work as connectors with community-based organizations to work together to reduce violence in those communities,” explained OVP director, Ashanti Hamilton. This is peace week and events will be held all week for this.
The city has a big challenge coming up this summer to try and contain the normal violence that occurs when it starts to get warm outside. It will take all of us citizens along with the police to work on this together. If you see or hear something, tell someone. We all want safe neighborhoods that we can raise our families in and enjoy the Milwaukee summer. Overall crime stats show a decrease in certain areas so hopefully we will have a head start. Think about starting a block watch in your neighborhood. Do you know the protection you have when someone sees a block watch sign in every window on your block. It states if I don’t call the police my neighbor will. Criminals are not very brave and like to hide when they can. Turn on your front porch lights and in the back if you have them. This will keep them out of your neighborhood and let them go somewhere else. Buy yourself some pepper spray to help protect yourself if needed. Always be aware of your surroundings and keep an eye out for suspicious people and activity. Let’s all pull together; we can get a handle on all these issues if we work together. Can we make this the summer we turn things around? We must try.