Alderman Zielinski announces the COP House initiative will move forward

Alderman Tony Zielinski is pleased to announce his public safety initiative was recommended for approval at the Public Safety and Health Committee. It’s called COP House, or Community Oriented Policing House, and the Milwaukee Police Department came out in full support of the program at the City Hall meeting. If approved by the Common Council on October 17, the first location will open in a neighborhood in 2018.

Alderman Zielinski says, “I am very happy to see this initiative move forward and to work in conjunction with the Milwaukee Police Department. This allows us to do more than just police our neighborhoods; it brings resources to area residents and helps them build relationships with area officers.”

Alderman Tony Zielinski launched the initiative after it was first brought to Alderman Zielinski by Mike Crivello, the president of the Milwaukee Police Association. The program is designed to address crime in challenged neighborhoods.

COP House aims to reduce crime incidences and police call volumes by taking a vacant city-owned home and renovating it with the help of community partners. Police officers would then move into the home and use it as a base to police the neighborhood, build trust with residents, and identifying criminal activity while addressing socio-economic issues by connecting residents with area agencies for help.

The program goes beyond policing; the COP House will also be equipped with computers and staffed with educational partners who will offer a safe and accessible location for tutoring and educational advancement.

The model for the COP House has reduced crime by up to 70% in other cities that are using the program. The criteria for the location of the COP House are crime, calls for service, and nuisance calls.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.