A very timely piece, Dennis, especially for Milwaukeans where $0 bail and defunding the police seem to be gaining traction.
As an urban teacher, I saw it myself. The police (that's "po-po" in the local vernacular) are seen as the enemy, objects of fear and distrust. To cooperate with the police makes one a "snitch," a social outcast.
Worse yet, it seems many Milwaukee residents are perpetually looking for an excuse -- any excuse -- they can find to hang good, service-minded cops for some sort of malfeasance. And these generally frivolous charges seem to carry some weight with the MPD brass, aldermen and such. Thus, good, service-minded cops tend to get frustrated and leave the profession, or at least leave the city for policing jobs where they're more appreciated and protected.
With MPD already desperately short-staffed, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson warns major budget cuts are ahead for the police department, and other public safety personnel.
I've watched Milwaukee chiefs of police since Harold Breier. Each has been more of a bureaucrat, responding to politics, and less of a cop, responding to crime, than the previous. I've commented before, "Where's Harold Breier when you need him?" Breier wasn't popular. Even I didn't really like him. But he was able to operate independently, above the fray. He chose law and order. If I'm recalling this correctly, because people didn't like Breier and his methods, they changed the system to make the police chief an appointment that could be yanked by the a civilian police commission. They forgot one important thing: results. There was far less crime in Milwaukee then, and while Breier's department may not have been completely responsible for the lower crime rate, they were a signifiant contributor, because he let cops be cops. And there as little the politicians could do about it. Milwaukee is a city that needs to wake up. I'm not sure what it's going to take.
As a country, we cannot continue allowing this crime spree to continue on our streets. Your thoughts are well formed and make common sense. We must back our police. Let’s hope some of our officials in justice read this.
A very timely piece, Dennis, especially for Milwaukeans where $0 bail and defunding the police seem to be gaining traction.
As an urban teacher, I saw it myself. The police (that's "po-po" in the local vernacular) are seen as the enemy, objects of fear and distrust. To cooperate with the police makes one a "snitch," a social outcast.
Worse yet, it seems many Milwaukee residents are perpetually looking for an excuse -- any excuse -- they can find to hang good, service-minded cops for some sort of malfeasance. And these generally frivolous charges seem to carry some weight with the MPD brass, aldermen and such. Thus, good, service-minded cops tend to get frustrated and leave the profession, or at least leave the city for policing jobs where they're more appreciated and protected.
With MPD already desperately short-staffed, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson warns major budget cuts are ahead for the police department, and other public safety personnel.
Where does it end?
Thanks Kiernan,
I've watched Milwaukee chiefs of police since Harold Breier. Each has been more of a bureaucrat, responding to politics, and less of a cop, responding to crime, than the previous. I've commented before, "Where's Harold Breier when you need him?" Breier wasn't popular. Even I didn't really like him. But he was able to operate independently, above the fray. He chose law and order. If I'm recalling this correctly, because people didn't like Breier and his methods, they changed the system to make the police chief an appointment that could be yanked by the a civilian police commission. They forgot one important thing: results. There was far less crime in Milwaukee then, and while Breier's department may not have been completely responsible for the lower crime rate, they were a signifiant contributor, because he let cops be cops. And there as little the politicians could do about it. Milwaukee is a city that needs to wake up. I'm not sure what it's going to take.
As a country, we cannot continue allowing this crime spree to continue on our streets. Your thoughts are well formed and make common sense. We must back our police. Let’s hope some of our officials in justice read this.