Here & Now

Here and Now for Aug. 18, 2016

ANNOUNCER:

THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS PART OF OUR “HERE AND NOW” 2016 WISCONSIN VOTE ELECTION COVERAGE. FUNDING FOR “HERE AND NOW” IS PROVIDED, IN PART, BY FRIENDS OF WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

I’M FREDERICA FREYBERG. TONIGHT ON “HERE AND NOW,” THE DUST SETTLES AT WEEK’S END IN MILWAUKEE’S SHERMAN PARK NEIGHBORHOOD AFTER AN OFFICER FATALLY SHOOTS AN ARMED 23-YEAR-OLD THERE. WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT’S NEXT. WE’LL TALK WITH STATE REPRESENTATIVE LA TONYA JOHNSON WHOSE NEW SENATE DISTRICT INCLUDES SHERMAN PARK. MILWAUKEE MAYOR TOM BARRETT IS ALSO HERE. LATER WE’LL MEET A MINISTER WHO GREW UP IN THE SHERMAN PARK AREA AND THIS WEEK LED TEENAGERS DOOR TO DOOR THERE TO TRY TO BEGIN THE HEALING. BUT FIRST, MILWAUKEE HAS SEEN NO ADDITIONAL STREET PROTESTS FOLLOWING LAST WEEKEND’S VIOLENCE THAT HAD THE GOVERNOR ACTIVATING THE NATIONAL GUARD AND POLICE IN RIOT GEAR WORKING TO KEEP THE PEACE. VIOLENCE IN THE CITY RESULTED IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE TO TORCHED BUSINESSES AND GUNFIRE AMONGST THE CROWD. IT CAME IN RESPONSE TO AN OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING LAST SATURDAY DURING WHICH AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAN WAS KILLED. POLICE SAY THE MAN REFUSED TO DROP HIS GUN IN THE MIDST OF A TRAFFIC STOP. THE OFFICER WHO SHOT THE MAN WAS ALSO BLACK. THE FLASH POINT THAT IGNITED PROTESTS AND ARSON WAS THE TRAFFIC STOP SHOOTING, BUT THE UNDERLYING ANGER AND TENSION IN SOME MILWAUKEE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE MANY BELIEVING IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THINGS HIT THE BOILING POINT. MEETING AT THE SCENE OF ONE OF THE TORCHED AND DESTROYED BUSINESSES, WE TALKED WITH MILWAUKEE STATE REPRESENTATIVE LA TONYA JOHNSON, WHO WAS JUST ELECTED STATE SENATOR AND IN WHOSE NEW DISTRICT THE VIOLENCE ERUPTED. SHE SPOKE WITH GOVERNOR SCOTT WALKER THIS WEEK ABOUT WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE SHOULD COME FROM THE STATE.

LA TONYA JOHNSON:

IT’S GOING TO TAKE NOT ONLY THE COMMUNITY. IT’S GOING TO TAKE ELECTED OFFICIALS. IT’S GOING TO TAKE LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS THE CORE ISSUES OF WHY THE COMMUNITY IS FEELING THE WAY THAT THEY ARE. IN THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE, YOU HAVE A LOT OF SHOOTINGS, NON-FATAL AND HOMICIDES. WE ARE NOT AT THE EXTENT THAT WE WERE LAST YEAR, BUT WE STILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT FOR A CITY OF OUR SIZE. THE CONCERN IS AS LONG AS THERE IS CRIME, ESPECIALLY IN OUR HIGH-CRIME AREAS, YOU’RE GOING TO FIND AN OVER-SATURATION OF POLICE OFFICERS. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT’S BECAUSE THE LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS IN THOSE AREAS WANT THE POLICE THERE BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT TO BECOME THE NEXT VICTIM. SO ANYTIME YOU HAVE POLICE STOPS OR POLICE INTERACTION WITH THE COMMUNITY, IT DOESN’T ALWAYS HAPPEN, BUT THERE’S ALWAYS OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALTERCATION. SO WE NEED TO FIND WAYS TO GET THE POLICE OUT OF THE COMMUNITY. AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS TO ADDRESS THE RECORD NUMBER OF CRIMES THAT WE’RE SEEING HERE IN THE INNER CITY.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHAT KIND OF LEGISLATION WOULD YOU PROPOSE TO GET AT THIS?

LA TONYA JOHNSON:

THERE’S A LOT OF LEGISLATION THAT CAN BE DONE. FIRST OF ALL, WE WANT TO TARGET THE NUMBER OF GUNS THAT ARE ON THE STREETS IN THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF YOU ARE A GUN OWNER AND YOUR GUN IS LOST OR STOLEN, THAT THAT IS ACTUALLY REPORTED. RIGHT NOW THERE IS NO LAW THAT SAYS THAT IF YOUR GUN IS LOST OR STOLEN THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE A REPORT. THAT’S JUST A GIVEN. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE ACTUALLY PENALTIES FOR STRAW PURCHASERS. RIGHT NOW STRAW PURCHASES IN THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE ARE MISDEMEANORS. AND IT STILL ALLOWS THAT INDIVIDUAL TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CONCEALED CARRY. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GO TO THE HEART OF THE ISSUES. THAT WE GET THESE ILLEGAL GUNS OFF THE STREET. THAT WE PROVIDE SOME FORM OF RELIEF FOR THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE AND FOR THE CITIZENS WHO CALL MILWAUKEE HOME, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO HELP ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, THE JOB ISSUE. WE NEED EMPLOYERS, ESPECIALLY IN THE INNER CITY IN OUR NORTH AND NORTHWEST SIDES. BUT IN ORDER TO ATTRACT THOSE EMPLOYERS, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS SAFE. WE HAVE TO CHANGE MILWAUKEE’S REPUTATION. AND FOR TOO LONG WE HAVEN’T ADDRESSED THOSE ISSUES BECAUSE MILWAUKEE HAS THE HIGHEST INCARCERATION RATE IN ANY CITY IN THE ENTIRE NATION. AND WE GET THAT. AND THAT’S AN ISSUE. BUT WE HAVE TO BE SMART ABOUT OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND WHO WE SEND TO JAIL AND WHO WE DON’T.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WAS THE GOVERNOR RESPONSIVE TO YOUR IDEAS ABOUT GETTING AT ILLEGAL GUNS?

LA TONYA JOHNSON:

HE WAS RESPONSIVE AT THE IDEA THAT WE DO NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO GET THE ILLEGAL GUNS OFF THE STREET, BUT ALSO AT THE BAD ACTORS. BECAUSE THESE COMMUNITIES ARE FILLED WITH LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS WHO JUST WANT TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE IN A SAFE COMMUNITY. THE SAME AS ANY OTHER COMMUNITY AROUND THE STATE. I THINK IT WAS ONLY GOING TO BE A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS SITUATION BOILED OVER BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS WHO WANT THE POLICE THERE, BUT YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO STILL FEEL WHY AM I GETTING STOPPED, YOU KNOW, FOR A SMALL INFRACTION. THIS DOESN’T HAPPEN IN WAUKESHA. AND THEY’RE RIGHT. IT DOESN’T. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE INSTRUCTED TO, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE FREQUENT TRAFFIC STOPS. IF YOU’RE A LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN, THEN THEY HAVE NO ISSUE WITH YOU. YOU’LL GO ON BY YOUR WAY. AND YOU’LL PROBABLY WILL GO ON WITHOUT A TICKET. THEY’RE TRYING TO GET ACCESS TO THE CARS BECAUSE THEY’RE TRYING TO GET THE ILLEGAL GUNS OFF THE STREET. WE HAVE TO DO MORE TO GET MORE RESOURCES HERE TO THE INNER CITY OF MILWAUKEE. CRIME IS A HUGE ISSUE, BUT SO IS LACK OF JOBS. SO IS QUALITY EDUCATION. SO ARE A LOT OF THE BASIC ESSENTIALS THAT PEOPLE NEED JUST TO HAVE A DECENT — JUST TO HAVE A DECENT LEVEL OF EVERYDAY LIFE. WE’RE LACKING SAFE COMMUNITIES. YOU KNOW, OUR KIDS ARE LACKING SAFE PLACES TO PLAY. OUR JUVENILES ARE UNEMPLOYED AND THEY DON’T HAVE MANY THINGS TO DO. AND SO ALL OF THESE ARE HUGE CONCERNS FOR US AND THEY DEFINITELY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. AS WELL AS THE TRAUMA THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITIES ARE LIVING THROUGH. WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE RIOTS THAT TAKE PLACE, I CAN’T HELP BUT THINK ABOUT THE CHILDREN THAT LIVE IN THIS AREA. WE’RE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM A HUGE PARK THAT’S UTILIZED EVERY DAY. I CAN’T IMAGINE BEING A CHILD AND LOOKING OUTSIDE YOUR WINDOW AND SEEING POLICE DRESSED IN RIOT GEAR AND SEEING A BUILDING BURNING DOWN TO THE GROUND LIKE THAT. AND THE QUESTION IS WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO FOR THOSE KIDS? YOU START TO SEE GENERATIONAL COURSES OF THE SAME BEHAVIOR, THE SAME HOPELESSNESS, THE SAME SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES CONTINUE TO REPEAT ITSELF. AND AT SOME POINT IT HAS TO GIVE.

LA TONYA JOHNSON:

YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE?

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE POLICE SHOOTING AND STREET VIOLENCE, JOHNSON AND TWO COUNTY SUPERVISORS WENT DOOR TO DOOR THIS WEEK IN THE SHERMAN PARK NEIGHBORHOOD.

LA TONYA JOHNSON:

RIGHT NOW WE’RE OUT TRYING TO FIND OUT IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES. IF EVERYTHING IS OKAY. IF YOU NEED ANYTHING. IF WE CAN BE OF ANY TYPE OF SERVICE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

JOHNSON FOUND RESIDENTS WERE FRIGHTENED. ONE SHOWING A PHOTO OF WHERE A BULLET CAME THROUGH HER BEDROOM WINDOW DURING THE PROTESTS. THEY’RE ALSO WORRIED SHE SAYS ABOUT ACCESS TO LOCAL BUSINESSES SHOULD THEY NOT REBUILD.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

IT’S BEEN THE WORST KIND OF WEEK FOR ANY MAYOR OF A MAJOR CITY, OFFICER-INVOLVED FATAL SHOOTING, VIOLENT PROTESTS RESULTING IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DAMAGE, INJURY TO COPS AND CITIZENS. A PART OF THE CITY TEETERING ON THE BRINK OF CHAOS. AT THE HELM AS ALL OF THIS UNFOLDED IN NEGATIVELY SPECTACULAR FASHION, MAYOR TOM BARRETT. HE JOINS US TONIGHT FROM MILWAUKEE WITH HOW THINGS STAND NOW. MAYOR, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

TOM BARRETT:

THANK YOU, FREDERICA.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WELL, AT WEEK’S END, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE TENSION LEVEL IN YOUR CITY?

TOM BARRETT:

WE OBVIOUSLY STILL HAVE ISSUES HERE THAT ARE UNDERLYING WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEKEND, BUT I’VE SEEN AN AMAZING RESILIENCE FROM CHURCH GROUPS, FROM RESIDENTS, FROM BUSINESSES, UNLIKE ANYTHING I’VE SEEN BEFORE. SO RIGHT NOW I’D SAY THE SPIRIT IS VERY MUCH ONE OF RESILIENCY AND DETERMINATION THAT WE’RE GOING TO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD IN A POSITIVE WAY AS OPPOSED TO NEGATIVE IMAGES WE SAW LATE LAST SATURDAY NIGHT.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SPEAKING OF THOSE, HOW FEARFUL WERE YOU ABOUT ESCALATION WHEN THOSE VIOLENT PROTESTS BROKE OUT LAST WEEKEND?

TOM BARRETT:

THERE WAS ACTUALLY ABOUT A TWO-HOUR PERIOD WHERE THE POLICE HAD TO REGROUP. I HAD RECEIVED WORD OF THE SHOOTING AT A LITTLE BEFORE 4:00 ON SATURDAY. I WENT TO THE SCENE. IT DIDN’T LOOK LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BE TROUBLESOME AT THE SCENE WHEN I WAS THERE ABOUT FIVE O’CLOCK. OBVIOUSLY THINGS TURNED FOR THE WORSE AROUND 10:00. BETWEEN 10:00 AND 12:00, THAT WAS THE PERIOD IN WHICH THE POLICE HAD TO REGROUP. BUT ONCE THEY GOT IN THERE, ONCE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO GET IN, THINGS STARTED STABILIZING. WE HAD A SHORT PERIOD SUNDAY NIGHT AFTER THE VIGIL WHERE THINGS WERE TROUBLESOME AS WELL. BUT I THINK ONE THING I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND IS DURING THIS ENTIRE ORDEAL, THE MILWAUKEE POLICE DEPARTMENT NEVER FIRED A SHOT. AND THAT’S SOMETHING THAT IS EXTRAORDINARY WHEN YOU THINK OF THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE PRESSURE IT WAS UNDER BECAUSE ROCKS WERE BEING THROWN. THERE WERE SHOTS BEING FIRED. AND A LOT OF THIS HAS TO DO WITH POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS. AND THE FACT THAT OUR POLICE WERE VERY PROFESSIONAL, INCREDIBLY PROFESSIONAL WHEN THEY WERE TESTED THE MOST I THINK SPEAKS VOLUMES.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

PRIOR TO THAT, I’VE READ THAT POLICE CHIEF ED FLYNN EXPRESSED SURPRISE THAT THERE WAS SUCH A VIOLENT REACTION TO THE OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING. WERE YOU SURPRISED?

TOM BARRETT:

AGAIN, I WAS AT THE SCENE. I WAS AT THE SCENE BETWEEN 4:00 AND 5:00. THE SHOOTING TOOK PLACE AT ABOUT 3:30, 3:35. I WAS THERE SHORTLY AFTER FOUR O’CLOCK AND COULDN’T SEE ANY SIGNS AT THAT POINT THAT THINGS WERE GOING TO GO IN A BAD DIRECTION. OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW THERE’S A NATIONAL SCENARIO OUT THERE. THERE ARE ISSUES IN MILWAUKEE, POVERTY ISSUES, CRIME ISSUES. A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY THAT ECHOES WHAT YOU SEE NATIONALLY. SO I THINK WHAT HAPPENED WAS IT FINALLY CAUGHT THERE, IF YOU WILL. AND A LOT OF THIS HAD BEEN BREWING. THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE GAS STATION IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT WAS A GAS STATION THAT HAD BEEN BURNED DOWN. SO I THINK IT’S MORE A CASE OF WHAT DO WE DO AS WE MOVE FORWARD NOW. AND I’VE TALKED TO ALMOST ALL THE BUSINESS OWNERS BECAUSE I’D LOVE TO SEE THEM REBUILD. I’D LOVE TO SEE THEM COME BACK INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. COME BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY. SO THAT’S ANOTHER STEP THAT WE’RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

NOW, WE KNOW THAT YOU’VE TOLD US THAT THE POLICE FORCE DID A REALLY ADMIRABLE JOB IN RESTRAINING, YOU KNOW, ANY FURTHER KIND OF VIOLENCE, BUT ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF HAVING THE NATIONAL GUARD ACTIVATED INTO YOUR CITY?

TOM BARRETT:

WELL, WHAT HAPPENED THERE WAS THE GOVERNOR AND THE SHERIFF MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY WERE GOING TO ACTIVATE THE NATIONAL GUARD. WHAT I DID IS I SAID, BECAUSE WE’VE BEEN DOWN THIS ROAD BEFORE, IS THAT I WANTED THAT TO BE UNDER THE COMMAND OF THE POLICE CHIEF. SO YOU DIDN’T SEE THE NATIONAL GUARD OUT THERE. THEY WERE ACTIVATED. THEY WERE NOT DEPLOYED. AND THERE’S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO. SO THEY WERE SEVERAL MILES AWAY. THEY WERE PREPARED TO COME IN, BUT THE POLICE CHIEF FELT — AND I TOTALLY SUPPORT POLICE CHIEF FLYNN IN THIS — THAT THIS WAS A MATTER THAT WOULD BE BEST HANDLED BY THE MILWAUKEE POLICE. AND THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED FOR THE OFFICERS THAT WERE UNDER HIS JURISDICTION. BECAUSE I DIDN’T WANT TO AND THE POLICE CHIEF DIDN’T WANT TO ACCELERATE THIS. AND, AGAIN, I THINK WHAT YOU SAW WAS YOU SAW A FIRST NIGHT WITH SOME PROBLEMS. A SECOND NIGHT A SHORTER PERIOD, BUT BY MONDAY NIGHT UNDER THE DIRECTIVE OF THE POLICE CHIEF YOU SAW A MUCH, MUCH, MUCH MORE ORDERLY, NON-ACCELERATED SITUATION.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

MANY PEOPLE ARE CALLING FOR THE COP CAMERA VIDEO THAT THE OFFICER WAS WEARING AT THE TIME IT OF THE SHOOTING TO BE RELEASED QUICKLY. WHAT’S YOUR POSITION ON THAT?

TOM BARRETT:

I SHARE THAT SENTIMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT RELEASED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHAT CAN YOU TELL US AT THIS HOUR ABOUT WHAT YOU KNOW HAPPENED DURING THE STOP AND SUBSEQUENT SHOOTING? WE KNOW THAT THERE WAS AN AUTOPSY REPORT RELEASED LATE IN THE DAY TODAY TALKING ABOUT HOW THE PERSON WHO WAS SHOT BY THE OFFICER WAS SHOT IN THE ARM AND IN THE CHEST. WHAT ELSE CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOU KNOW HAPPENED?

TOM BARRETT:

I HAVE NOT SEEN THE VIDEO. I DID SEE A SHOT THAT WAS TAKEN FROM THE VIDEO, IF YOU WILL. SO IT’S JUST ONE FRAME. IN THAT SHOT THE INDIVIDUAL WAS HOLDING A GUN. AND HE WAS LOOKING AT THE POLICE OFFICER. HE WAS PICKING UP THE GUN. AND FROM WHAT THEY HAD TOLD ME, HE HAD RUN. HE HAD FALLEN. HE HAD DROPPED THE GUN AND HAD PICKED UP THE GUN. AND THAT WAS THE SHOT THAT I SAW. I DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT. SO WE’RE GOING TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT WHEN THE VIDEO IS RELEASED.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHERE DOES THE CITY GO FROM HERE?

TOM BARRETT:

I THINK THE CITY GOES FROM HERE IN THAT I THINK WE’RE GOING TO BE JUDGED BASED ON WHAT HAPPENS NOW. AGAIN, IT WAS A BAD TWO-HOUR PERIOD. THERE’S NO QUESTION THAT WAS A BAD TWO-HOUR PERIOD. BUT I’M INTERESTED IN THE FUTURE. AND I’M INTERESTED IN HOW THIS COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER. A LOT OF THE ISSUES UNDERLYING THE UNREST REALLY REVOLVE AROUND POVERTY, AROUND JOBLESSNESS, JOB TRAINING, EDUCATION, ISSUES LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY. AND I’M VIEWING THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THIS COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND HOPEFULLY WITH SOME HELP FROM THE STATE BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME RESOURCES PUT HERE SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THESE UNDERLYING ISSUES. I ALSO NEED TO HAVE HELP FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. BUT I’LL SAY THAT THUS FAR I’VE GOTTEN A GREAT RESPONSE FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. AND THE CHURCH GROUPS, THE NEIGHBORHOODS, HAVE BEEN PHENOMENAL. THE FACT THAT LITERALLY THE MORNING AFTER THIS HAPPENED YOU HAD HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE OUT THERE PICKING UP THE NEIGHBORHOOD TELLS YOU PEOPLE WANT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. PEOPLE WANT THIS CITY TO SUCCEED AND THAT IS VERY, VERY HEARTENING.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ALL RIGHT. TOM BARRETT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

TOM BARRETT:

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SEVERAL MADISON CHURCH-BASED AND SOCIAL SERVICES PROFESSIONALS SPENT MANY HOURS IN THE SHERMAN PARK NEIGHBORHOOD IN MILWAUKEE THIS WEEK. ONE OF THEM HAPPENED TO ALSO GROW UP IN THAT AREA. HE NOW LEADS THE MADISON-BASED TEEN ADVOCACY GROUP “BREAKING BARRIERS MENTORING.” MINISTER CALIPH MUAB’EL IS HERE. THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

CALIPH MUAB’EL:

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SO GROWING UP IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, THE SCENE OF THIS KIND OF VIOLENT PROTEST OVER THE POLICE SHOOTING, WHAT WAS THAT LIKE FOR YOU?

CALIPH MUAB’EL:

IT WAS ALMOST SURREAL, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATIONS OF THE PEOPLE. AND THE FRUSTRATIONS WITH NOT BEING HEARD, WITH BEING UNDER-RESOURCED AND IMPOVERISHED. AND THE COMMUNITIES BEING DECIMATED BY POVERTY AND THE LACK OF JOBS. AND NOT ENOUGH RESOURCES BEING FUNNELED INTO THE COMMUNITY. SO WHEN YOU HAVE THE POLICE BRUTALITY AND THE RESPONSE FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT ON TOP OF THAT, THAT APPEARS TO BE IN A VOLATILE MANNER AND YOU’RE MURDERING PEOPLE UNJUSTIFIABLY IN THEIR MINDS, THAT JUST ADDS TO THE FRUSTRATION.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

HOW DOES YOUR BACKGROUND EQUIP YOU TO UNDERSTAND THESE ISSUES?

CALIPH MUAB’EL:

WHERE I COME FROM, I COME FROM THOSE THINGS. I COME FROM VIOLENCE. I COME FROM GANG INFESTATIONS. I COME FROM BROKEN HOME. I COME FROM ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT IS EXISTING STILL VERY MUCH TODAY IN COMMUNITIES. AND SO HAVING THE KEEN INSIGHT INTO THOSE THINGS ALLOWED ME TO UNDERSTAND THINGS ON A DEEPER LEVEL.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHAT WERE YOU DOING IN MILWAUKEE SPECIFICALLY THIS WEEK AS PROTESTS OVER THE OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING ESCALATED OR THREATENED TO?

CALIPH MUAB’EL:

WELL, I ACTUALLY WAS IN MILWAUKEE THE DAY THAT IT STARTED, BECAUSE I HAD TO DO A SPEECH DOWN THERE. AND THE NEXT DAY, WHICH WAS SUNDAY, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM MICHAEL JOHNSON SAYING, “HEY, WE NEED TO GET DOWN TO MILWAUKEE.”

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF DANE COUNTY.

CALIPH MUAB’EL:

YEAH. HE SAID WE NEED TO GET DOWN THERE. I HAD A PHOTO SHOOT I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO. I SAID, “OKAY, I’LL SEE IF THEY CAN GET ME IN AND OUT” AND WE ALL HEADED DOWN TO MILWAUKEE. AND ONCE I KNEW WE WERE GOING, I CONTACTED A LOT OF THE LEADERS OF THAT COMMUNITY DOWN THERE AND THEY WAS WAITING ON US.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

AND YOU WALKED THE NEIGHBORHOODS TALKING WITH PEOPLE?

CALIPH MUAB’EL:

YEAH. WE WALKED THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH ABOUT, I DON’T KNOW, MAYBE 150 MOORS FROM THE MOORISH SCIENCE TEMPLE OF AMERICA. AND A LOT OF THE YOUTH LEADERS DOWN THERE THAT WE MENTOR, MAYBE 50 TO 60 OF THEM. AND THEY WERE STILL COMING OUT IN DROVES. OUR GOAL WAS TO ESSENTIALLY INFORM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT MARTIAL LAW WAS. TO PREVENT ANY FURTHER VIOLENCE OR VIOLENT ACT PERPETRATED AGAINST OUR PEOPLE. AND TO JUST BRING THEM A MESSAGE OF PEACE AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE’RE HERE. WE’RE TOGETHER. AND TO SEE SO MANY BLACK MEN AND WOMEN WALKING DOWN THE STREET AT ONE TIME IN DROVES. THAT REALLY IMPACTED THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THE RESPONSES WE GOT WAS, “IT’S A NEW DAY.” AND THAT MADE US FEEL PRETTY RELEVANT AT THAT MOMENT.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

NOW, THE KIND OF STREET VIOLENCE REACTION TO THIS OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING SEEMS TO HAVE DIFFUSED KIND OF AT WEEK’S END, BUT ARE THESE TENSIONS AND ANGER SIMMERING BENEATH THE SURFACE IN THAT CITY STILL?

CALIPH MUAB’EL:

WELL, IT’S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION IN REFERENCE TO WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE YOUNG MAN THAT WAS GUNNED DOWN BY POLICE. AND IT’S JUST A LOT OF FACTS COMING OUT THAT CONTINUES TO EXACERBATE THE SITUATION. AND THE REASON WHY GROUND ZERO WAS BURNED DOWN, BECAUSE PRIOR TO THIS PARTICULAR SHOOTING THERE WAS ANOTHER OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING THERE IN SHERMAN PARK. AND SO THEY BURNED DOWN THAT GAS STATION AND ALL OF THE COMPONENTS THERE. AND ALSO THAT AREA THAT THE YOUNG GUY WAS GUNNED DOWN AS WELL.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

AND SO YOU WERE THERE WITH PEOPLE TO TRY TO KEEP THE PEACE. WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THE IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, BURNING BUSINESSES DOWN IN RESPONSE?

CALIPH MUAB’EL:

I BELIEVE FIGHTING FIRE WITH FIRE. CREATE AN EXPLOSION. BUT I THINK IF YOU FIGHT FIRE WITH WATER, IT EXTINGUISH IT. SO I UNDERSTAND — LIKE I SAID, I UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATIONS. AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY’RE COMING FROM. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO LACK THE ABILITY TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES BECAUSE OF SO MANY THINGS. VARIOUS THINGS SYSTEMATICALLY ESPECIALLY, HITTING THEM ONE AFTER ANOTHER, ONE AFTER ANOTHER, ONE AFTER ANOTHER, THEN THIS IS THE EXPLOSIVE RESPONSE THAT YOU GET. BUT I DON’T BELIEVE IN HURTING OR HARMING ANYONE. BLOWING UP THINGS. I DON’T BELIEVE IN THOSE THINGS. THOSE ARE NOT THINGS THAT REPRESENTS MY VALUE. WE BELIEVE IN TEACHING LOVE INSTEAD OF HATE. AND THAT’S WHY THE MOORS WERE THERE TO PROMOTE THAT. LOVE INSTEAD OF HATE. THINK LOGICALLY. DON’T ACT OFF EMOTIONS. LISTEN. AND YOU LEARN A LOT BY JUST DOING THOSE THINGS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

DO YOU AND THE PEOPLE THAT YOU CAME TO MILWAUKEE WITH AND WORKED IN MILWAUKEE WITH EXPECT TO STAY ON THE GROUND THERE?

CALIPH MUAB’EL:

YES. I’VE BEEN THERE ACTUALLY ALL WEEK. I MISSED ONE WEEK — I MISSED ONE DAY OUT OF THIS WEEK. I THINK THAT WAS WEDNESDAY. BUT I’VE BEEN THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THIS WEEK.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

AND YOU THINK THAT THAT PRESENCE IS VALUABLE FOR PEOPLE?

CALIPH MUAB’EL:

YES. WE COME THERE, WE BRING THE SPIRIT. WE BRING THE SPIRIT OF HOPE. WE BRING A SPIRIT OF JOY. AND EVERY TIME I COME, THE MOORS ARE THERE TO BRING THAT SAME SPIRIT AND PUSH THAT SAME INITIATIVE. AND THEY’RE OUT THERE EVERY DAY, EVERY SINGLE DAY. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, MY CONCERN WAS FOR THE YOUTH IN THAT COMMUNITY. AND WE HAVE THE YOUTH OUT THERE TAKING INITIATIVE AND TAKING CONTROL OF THE SITUATIONS OUT THERE IN THE STREETS. OF COURSE, YOU CAN’T REACH EVERYBODY. AND SO THERE ARE STILL — THERE’S STILL POCKETS OF VIOLENCE THAT’S HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE CITY, BUT FOR THE MOST PART WE’RE REACHING COMMON GROUND, NOT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT. I DON’T THINK THAT THEY’RE — I THINK THAT THEY’RE A LONG WAY FROM REACHING COMMON GROUND WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE OF THE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS AND THE VARIOUS ISSUES THAT FUELS THEIR FRUSTRATION. BUT I DO THINK THAT AS A PEOPLE WE’RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN HELP AND LIBERATE OURSELVES AND OUR CONDITIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ALL RIGHT. WE NEED TO LEAVE IT THERE, MINISTER CALIPH MUAB’EL . THANKS VERY MUCH.

CALIPH MUAB’EL:

THANK YOU.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHEN THE MINISTER REFERS TO MOORS, HE SPEAKS OF THE MOOR SCIENCE TEMPLE OF AMERICA, A RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION WHICH DESCRIBES ITSELF AS DEDICATED TO PEACE AND JUSTICE. IN RACINE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING TO CHANGE THE WAY IT INTERACTS WITH STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOLS THERE. THIS WEEK, THE SCHOOL BOARD UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED BRINGING THE CITY’S COMMUNITY POLICING MODEL TO THE DISTRICT SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS. RACINE POLICE CHIEF ART HOWELL BROUGHT THE IDEA FORWARD AND HE JOINS US NOW FROM RACINE. CHIEF, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

ART HOWELL:

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHAT IS THE GOAL OF BRINGING COMMUNITY POLICING INTO THE SCHOOLS?

ART HOWELL:

WELL, AS HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED THROUGHOUT THE NATION, WE’VE GOT ISSUES WHERE THERE’S PROBLEMS IN TERMS OF RAPPORT BETWEEN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN PARTICULAR AND YOUNG PEOPLE. WE THOUGHT WHAT BETTER WAY TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS THAN TO DO IT RIGHT AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WELL, HOW WILL THIS NEW APPROACH WITH COMMUNITY POLICING LOOK DIFFERENT THAN THE USUAL RESOURCE OFFICERS IN SCHOOLS?

ART HOWELL:

WE HAVE A C-O-P MODEL HERE THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 1993. WHAT WE’VE DONE IS WE’VE REALLY BECOME EMBEDDED AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL. SO WHAT HAPPENS IS AS OPPOSED TO AN OFFICER JUST COMING IN ON A SHORT-TERM BASIS TO DEAL WITH CRISIS, THE OFFICERS ARE THERE ON A REGULAR BASIS. OFFICERS ARE ASSIGNED TO A GIVEN NEIGHBORHOOD SO THEY LEARN THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WHO SHOULD BE THERE. THEY LEARN WHO SHOULDN’T BE THERE. THEY LEARN WHERE THERE’S PROBLEMS. THEY LEARN WHERE THERE’S SUPPORT. SO THE OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ARE PEOPLE WHO REALLY WANT LAW AND ORDER AND THEY WANT TO SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

NOW, WE’VE HEARD FROM YOUNG PEOPLE IN MILWAUKEE THAT SOMETIMES AN INFRACTION IN THE HALLWAY AT HIGH SCHOOL CAN LEAD TO CRIMINAL CHARGES AND THEN WHAT THEY CALL THIS KIND OF SO-CALLED SCHOOL-TO-PRISON PIPELINE. HOW REAL IS THAT IN YOUR CITY?

ART HOWELL:

WELL, HERE’S WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO. WE UNDERSTAND THAT IF A PERSON GETS A CITATION FOR MARIJUANA POSSESSION OR WHATEVER THE CHARGE MIGHT BE, THAT COULD BE A SLIPPERY SLOPE THAT LEADS THEM TO A CRIMINAL JUSTICE, YOU KNOW, LIFESTYLE. AND SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS ACTUALLY WE’VE SCHEDULED OUR OFFICERS TO ATTEND TRAINING RELATIVE TO POLICING THE TEEN BRAIN. WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOUNG PEOPLE — AND THEIR MINDS AREN’T COMPLETELY DEVELOPED. WE WANT TO GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITIES TO NOT BECOME A PART OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. AND SO WE CERTAINLY DON’T WANT TO LOOK AWAY FROM ALL VIOLATIONS, BUT WE KNOW THAT WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WE HAVE SOME YOUNG PEOPLE WHO LIVE WITH MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES. SO WE JUST TO WANT MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE ZEROING IN ON THE PROBLEM SO WE DON’T TREAT ALL BEHAVIORAL ISSUES AS BEING CRIMINAL ISSUES.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

BECAUSE THERE’S KIND OF A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TEENAGE HIGH JINX AND LEGIT CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. HOW DOES YOUR TRAINING ADDRESS THAT?

ART HOWELL:

ONCE AGAIN, THE C-O-P PHILOSOPHY IS SUCH IS THAT WE WANT TO PROBLEM SOLVE. IF I’M AT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND IF I SEE THAT A GIVEN SCHOOL HAS HAD SEVERAL FIGHTS WITH YOUNG FEMALES, WHAT WE WOULD DO IS — AS OPPOSED TO WAITING FOR MORE FIGHTS TO BREAK OUT — WE WOULD BRING IN COUNSELORS TO DEAL WITH THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE FIGHTS BETWEEN THE FEMALES. AND SO IT’S ALL ABOUT IDENTIFYING A GIVEN PROBLEM AT A GIVEN SCHOOL. AND AS OPPOSED TO ALWAYS RESPONDING FROM AN ENFORCEMENT STANDPOINT, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND WITH RESOURCES AND OTHER ALTERNATIVES.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT PART OF THE PLAN INVOLVES COLLECTING DATA ON INFRACTIONS COMMITTED ON SCHOOL PROPERTY AND THEN REPORTING THAT TO THE RACINE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WHAT IS THAT PIECE OF THE PLAN ABOUT?

ART HOWELL:

WELL, THE DATA HAS ALWAYS BEEN COLLECTED. WE KNOW EVERY YOUNG PERSON THAT HAS BEEN ARRESTED. WE ALREADY HAVE DATA ON THOSE PEOPLE. SO THE OBJECTIVE ISN’T TO GO INTO THE SCHOOLS TO OBTAIN DATA. WE ALREADY HAVE THE DATA. WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE WANT BE SMARTER WITH REGARD TO HOW WE RESPOND TO THE DATA. SO IF THERE’S A TREND IN ANY GIVEN SCHOOL, WHAT WE WOULD WANT TO DO IS WE WANT TO HAVE OUR OFFICERS FIGURE OUT WHAT’S THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. WHY DO WE HAVE MORE ARRESTS AT THIS SCHOOL THAN OTHER SCHOOLS? AND WHAT ARE THEY DOING RIGHT AT THE OTHER SCHOOLS THAT WE COULD LEARN FROM AS BEST PRACTICES TO BRING TO THE SCHOOLS WHERE THERE ARE LARGER PROBLEMS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

HOW DO YOU THINK THAT THE COMMUNITY POLICING IN THE SCHOOLS WILL KIND OF BRING YOUNG PEOPLE CLOSER TO THE AUTHORITY; THAT IS, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT?

ART HOWELL:

THREE SIMPLE TERMS THAT WE LIKE TO USE IN COMMUNITY POLICING. THE FIRST IS PARTNERSHIPS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CANNOT DO IT ALL ALONE, SO WE HAVE TO PARTNER WITH OTHER AGENCIES AND PARTNER WITH LAW-ABIDING PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. THE SECOND IS RELATIONSHIPS AND THIS IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST ONE IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE THIRD. THE THIRD IS TRUST. AND SO PARTNERSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS AND TRUST. AND SO WHAT LOOKS DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER MODEL THAT YOU’LL SEE ACROSS THE NATION IS THAT OUR OFFICERS ARE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM NOT SO MUCH AS AN ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM, MORE SO AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ROOT CAUSES OF ISSUES ARE. PREVENT THEM SO THAT WE CAN CREATE A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT’S CONDUCIVE FOR EVERYONE TO PROSPER.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

IS THIS APPROACH BEING USED ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

ART HOWELL:

NOT THAT WE KNOW OF AT THIS LEVEL. SO WHAT WE DO KNOW, BECAUSE WE LOOKED AT BEST PRACTICES ACROSS THE NATION. WE KNOW THAT THE SCHOOL RESOURCE MODEL HAS BEEN APPLIED. THE C-O-P MODEL IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT IN THAT WE WANT TO REPLICATE THE SUCCESS THAT WE’VE HAD AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL HERE IN RACINE WITH OUR COMMUNITY POLICING RESIDENTIAL LOCATIONS AND THAT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL. WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE BUILD STRONG PARTNERSHIPS, STRONG RELATIONSHIPS AND TRUST. AND WE JUST SIMPLY WANT TO TRANSFER THAT SUCCESS TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

GREAT. FIRST IN THE NATION. CHIEF ART HOWELL, THANKS VERY MUCH.

ART HOWELL:

THANK YOU.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

THAT IS OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT. I’M FREDERICA FREYBERG. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

ANNOUNCER:

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