00:00:00:00 00:00:01:02 >> We all think we know 00:00:01:02 00:00:02:19 what government is. 00:00:02:19 00:00:03:19 >> How it works 00:00:03:19 00:00:04:24 and what it does. 00:00:04:24 00:00:06:17 >> But what is it really? 00:00:06:17 00:00:07:23 What do we mean 00:00:07:23 00:00:09:02 by "government"? 00:00:09:02 00:00:10:23 >> Is it this? 00:00:10:23 00:00:12:10 >> Or this? 00:00:12:10 00:00:13:09 >> Are these people 00:00:13:09 00:00:14:13 the government? 00:00:14:13 00:00:15:25 >> Are you? 00:00:15:25 00:00:16:23 >> These are just some 00:00:16:23 00:00:17:25 of the questions we'll try 00:00:17:25 00:00:19:05 to answer for you today. 00:00:19:05 00:00:21:06 >> On Engage. 00:00:28:04 00:00:29:17 >> Hi, I'm Paloma. 00:00:29:17 00:00:30:22 >> My name's Zach. 00:00:30:22 00:00:32:08 And we're at a crime scene. 00:00:32:08 00:00:33:16 There's no police tape. 00:00:33:16 00:00:34:29 Nobody was hurt. 00:00:34:29 00:00:36:14 But property was damaged. 00:00:36:14 00:00:37:29 And the community is suffering. 00:00:37:29 00:00:39:08 >> Tagging like this makes the 00:00:39:08 00:00:40:18 whole neighborhood look bad. 00:00:40:18 00:00:41:15 A trashed neighborhood 00:00:41:15 00:00:43:07 affects everyone involved. 00:00:43:07 00:00:44:20 >> And who helps clean this up? 00:00:44:20 00:00:45:21 Neighbors? 00:00:45:21 00:00:46:23 Police? 00:00:46:23 00:00:47:24 Politicians? 00:00:47:24 00:00:48:22 >> How about all of the above? 00:00:48:22 00:00:49:25 Let's take a look 00:00:49:25 00:00:51:00 at a brand new plan 00:00:51:00 00:00:53:12 that gets everyone involved. 00:00:56:08 00:00:57:10 >> The city of Milwaukee 00:00:57:10 00:01:00:22 is a city of neighborhoods. 00:01:00:22 00:01:02:08 And some of those neighborhoods 00:01:02:08 00:01:03:22 face significant challenges 00:01:03:22 00:01:07:03 with graffiti and other crimes. 00:01:07:03 00:01:08:11 In recent years, 00:01:08:11 00:01:09:18 community groups have joined 00:01:09:18 00:01:11:07 with the police to fight crime 00:01:11:07 00:01:14:13 at the neighborhood level. 00:01:14:13 00:01:15:28 A few years ago, after the 00:01:15:28 00:01:17:20 arrest of a group of taggers, 00:01:17:20 00:01:19:26 the police, along with state 00:01:19:26 00:01:21:24 and local government, teamed up 00:01:21:24 00:01:23:08 with a non-profit group 00:01:23:08 00:01:24:17 to create a new program 00:01:24:17 00:01:26:19 called Operation Payback. 00:01:26:19 00:01:27:29 >> It all started with a group 00:01:27:29 00:01:30:04 of individuals who were arrested 00:01:30:04 00:01:31:20 for graffiti. 00:01:31:20 00:01:32:28 >> I was assigning cases. 00:01:32:28 00:01:34:21 And I had gotten one case 00:01:34:21 00:01:36:29 that was for graffiti. 00:01:36:29 00:01:38:10 >> A group of between 12 and 14 00:01:38:10 00:01:40:21 individuals who did graffiti 00:01:40:21 00:01:42:17 throughout Milwaukee. 00:01:42:17 00:01:44:04 >> Then a couple of days later, 00:01:44:04 00:01:45:16 I got two other cases 00:01:45:16 00:01:47:11 that were for graffiti. 00:01:47:11 00:01:48:12 >> Tens of thousands of dollars 00:01:48:12 00:01:50:07 worth of graffiti damage. 00:01:50:07 00:01:51:25 >> And I was looking at 00:01:51:25 00:01:53:20 what the judge had ordered. 00:01:53:20 00:01:54:28 >> The judges ordered that they 00:01:54:28 00:01:56:12 had to do community service, 00:01:56:12 00:01:58:09 250 hours, plus. 00:01:58:09 00:01:59:14 >> Where they had to remove 00:01:59:14 00:02:00:18 graffiti. 00:02:00:18 00:02:03:03 >> 250 hours is a lot of hours. 00:02:03:03 00:02:04:15 >> We didn't have resources. 00:02:04:15 00:02:05:14 How can we get this done 00:02:05:14 00:02:07:10 without resources? 00:02:07:10 00:02:08:20 And I thought to myself, wow, 00:02:08:20 00:02:09:21 this is going to take 00:02:09:21 00:02:11:27 a lot of coordination. 00:02:11:27 00:02:13:04 What do I do? 00:02:13:04 00:02:14:18 So, I got on the horn, 00:02:14:18 00:02:15:27 got on the telephone. 00:02:15:27 00:02:17:01 >> I told her that, you know, 00:02:17:01 00:02:18:00 this is something that community 00:02:18:00 00:02:19:20 partners has done in the past, 00:02:19:20 00:02:21:02 and we'd definitely be able 00:02:21:02 00:02:22:15 to help her out, you know, 00:02:22:15 00:02:24:07 help her with this project. 00:02:27:13 00:02:28:22 My name's Aaron Edwards. 00:02:28:22 00:02:29:22 I work with Safe & Sound 00:02:29:22 00:02:31:08 Community Partners. 00:02:31:08 00:02:33:16 I'm a community organizer. 00:02:33:16 00:02:34:29 Safe & Sound is an anti-crime 00:02:34:29 00:02:38:02 organization, where we basically 00:02:38:02 00:02:39:10 work off a three-pronged 00:02:39:10 00:02:41:11 approach with community, 00:02:41:11 00:02:43:20 law enforcement, and youth. 00:02:43:20 00:02:44:28 We met at a target team meeting 00:02:44:28 00:02:46:20 that we hold on a monthly basis 00:02:46:20 00:02:48:13 at all the police districts. 00:02:48:13 00:02:49:23 >> The Captain was there, 00:02:49:23 00:02:52:05 and Aaron was there, and other 00:02:52:05 00:02:54:26 community partners were there. 00:02:54:26 00:02:56:04 >> We came up with a plan 00:02:56:04 00:02:57:05 that, you know, 00:02:57:05 00:02:58:05 we'd work in partnership 00:02:58:05 00:02:59:10 with Probation and Parole, 00:02:59:10 00:03:00:25 Safe & Sound Community Partners, 00:03:00:25 00:03:02:06 the Milwaukee Police Department 00:03:02:06 00:03:04:13 to go out into the neighborhoods 00:03:04:13 00:03:05:27 and remove graffiti. 00:03:05:27 00:03:07:00 >> Alderman Bob Donovan 00:03:07:00 00:03:08:13 was in that meeting 00:03:08:13 00:03:09:18 and liked what was said. 00:03:09:18 00:03:11:07 >> We have to combine 00:03:11:07 00:03:12:18 our resources and bring everyone 00:03:12:18 00:03:14:07 to the table. 00:03:14:07 00:03:15:08 That's what's happened 00:03:15:08 00:03:16:19 with this program. 00:03:16:19 00:03:18:12 >> Despite the agencies, despite 00:03:18:12 00:03:19:26 the different departments, 00:03:19:26 00:03:21:03 we've got to get this done. 00:03:21:03 00:03:22:27 >> Together, that's where that 00:03:22:27 00:03:24:18 power of collaboration came. 00:03:24:18 00:03:26:01 >> We talked about what we would 00:03:26:01 00:03:28:29 need, who was going to do what. 00:03:28:29 00:03:31:05 >> We set up another meeting. 00:03:31:05 00:03:32:20 Worked out the details, 00:03:32:20 00:03:34:01 and just went from there. 00:03:34:01 00:03:35:13 We went full force with it. 00:03:35:13 00:03:36:23 All these organizations 00:03:36:23 00:03:37:24 coming together 00:03:37:24 00:03:40:12 and working effectively. 00:03:40:12 00:03:41:29 >> Operation Payback started 00:03:41:29 00:03:43:19 as a program for taggers 00:03:43:19 00:03:45:23 to clean up their own graffiti, 00:03:45:23 00:03:46:26 but once they were done, 00:03:46:26 00:03:48:15 the program kept going, as 00:03:48:15 00:03:50:00 other offenders with community 00:03:50:00 00:03:52:29 service hours to fill joined in. 00:03:52:29 00:03:54:19 The program also expanded 00:03:54:19 00:03:56:21 beyond cleaning up graffiti. 00:03:56:21 00:03:58:02 >> How can we make this more 00:03:58:02 00:03:59:25 than just painting out graffiti? 00:03:59:25 00:04:01:05 Somebody said, well, we can do 00:04:01:05 00:04:02:10 neighborhood cleanup, picking up 00:04:02:10 00:04:04:12 trash, as well as flyering 00:04:04:12 00:04:06:00 the neighborhoods to let the 00:04:06:00 00:04:07:19 neighbors in the area know, 00:04:07:19 00:04:08:24 you know, how these offenders 00:04:08:24 00:04:09:25 are paying back 00:04:09:25 00:04:11:11 to the community. 00:04:11:11 00:04:12:15 The offenders 00:04:12:15 00:04:14:08 report to the station. 00:04:14:08 00:04:15:10 >> Everyone did something wrong, 00:04:15:10 00:04:16:09 but you're giving back. 00:04:16:09 00:04:17:13 We also want to give back 00:04:17:13 00:04:18:17 to you. 00:04:18:17 00:04:19:20 We talk to them. 00:04:19:20 00:04:20:22 We let them know, you know, 00:04:20:22 00:04:21:24 we're here to help. 00:04:21:24 00:04:22:23 You're here to serve your 00:04:22:23 00:04:23:23 sentence, serve your community 00:04:23:23 00:04:24:23 time that the judge ordered. 00:04:24:23 00:04:25:24 >> You get out there, 00:04:25:24 00:04:26:27 we get the job done, 00:04:26:27 00:04:28:04 and we get the job done right. 00:04:28:04 00:04:29:06 >> We let them know, 00:04:29:06 00:04:30:03 kind of like the ground rules. 00:04:30:03 00:04:31:01 No cell phones. 00:04:31:01 00:04:32:07 No goofing around. 00:04:32:07 00:04:33:04 >> We let offenders know, 00:04:33:04 00:04:34:08 you did something wrong. 00:04:34:08 00:04:35:11 You're giving back 00:04:35:11 00:04:36:12 to the community 00:04:36:12 00:04:37:27 by doing community service. 00:04:37:27 00:04:38:25 But we also want to let you know 00:04:38:25 00:04:41:09 that we're giving back to you. 00:04:41:09 00:04:43:22 >> So once we have our little 00:04:43:22 00:04:45:13 talk, we load up the vehicles 00:04:45:13 00:04:46:13 with the paint supplies 00:04:46:13 00:04:47:15 and cleanup supplies. 00:04:47:15 00:04:48:28 We keep all the graffiti 00:04:48:28 00:04:50:15 removal equipment, the paint, 00:04:50:15 00:04:51:27 supplies for that, 00:04:51:27 00:04:53:15 supplies for garbage pickers, 00:04:53:15 00:04:55:13 the bags for picking up garbage, 00:04:55:13 00:04:56:20 we have it secured 00:04:56:20 00:04:58:06 at the Police Station. 00:04:58:06 00:04:59:24 As a group, the officers, 00:04:59:24 00:05:01:01 Probation and Parole officers, 00:05:01:01 00:05:02:18 and the community partners will 00:05:02:18 00:05:04:02 go to the different locations 00:05:04:02 00:05:06:08 that have the graffiti. 00:05:06:08 00:05:07:03 >> It's kind of like 00:05:07:03 00:05:08:05 the broken windows theory. 00:05:08:05 00:05:09:04 >> The broken windows theory 00:05:09:04 00:05:10:17 or philosophy is 00:05:10:17 00:05:11:29 if you leave the windows broken, 00:05:11:29 00:05:13:10 or garbage around, 00:05:13:10 00:05:14:15 it's going to expand 00:05:14:15 00:05:15:15 and it's going to get worse. 00:05:15:15 00:05:16:20 So this is fixing 00:05:16:20 00:05:17:28 the broken windows. 00:05:17:28 00:05:19:07 It's weeding out the garbage, 00:05:19:07 00:05:20:18 weeding out the graffiti, 00:05:20:18 00:05:22:10 making it look a little neater 00:05:22:10 00:05:24:00 so the undesirable element 00:05:24:00 00:05:25:19 doesn't want to be there. 00:05:25:19 00:05:26:23 We're taking care of the street 00:05:26:23 00:05:28:02 and the graffiti. 00:05:28:02 00:05:29:07 Hopefully, the owner will 00:05:29:07 00:05:30:12 take pride in their own yard 00:05:30:12 00:05:31:16 and make sure that it's 00:05:31:16 00:05:32:11 cleaned up and looks nice, too, 00:05:32:11 00:05:33:13 to get rid 00:05:33:13 00:05:35:22 of that broken window. 00:05:37:05 00:05:38:09 A lot of the offenders, 00:05:38:09 00:05:39:13 when they first come, 00:05:39:13 00:05:40:16 they're very apprehensive 00:05:40:16 00:05:41:21 in talking with the officers. 00:05:41:21 00:05:42:24 But as they come week after 00:05:42:24 00:05:43:27 week, it's interesting to see 00:05:43:27 00:05:44:27 how the offenders 00:05:44:27 00:05:46:16 are interacting with them. 00:05:46:16 00:05:48:05 We're working with offenders 00:05:48:05 00:05:49:20 who have never known the police 00:05:49:20 00:05:51:17 officers as a friend, or as 00:05:51:17 00:05:53:10 an ally, that they can go to 00:05:53:10 00:05:55:10 for resources. 00:05:55:10 00:05:56:27 >> I think that what happens, 00:05:56:27 00:05:58:13 they get to see each other 00:05:58:13 00:06:00:09 in a whole different light. 00:06:00:09 00:06:02:03 Instead of being chased, 00:06:02:03 00:06:03:08 or feeling like this is 00:06:03:08 00:06:04:09 an adversarial 00:06:04:09 00:06:05:20 type of relationship, 00:06:05:20 00:06:07:23 they're working hand-in-hand 00:06:07:23 00:06:10:09 on doing something positive. 00:06:11:19 00:06:12:25 >> A lot of these kids go out 00:06:12:25 00:06:13:26 and do this, thinking it's a 00:06:13:26 00:06:14:26 victimless crime, that they're 00:06:14:26 00:06:16:08 not hurting anybody by doing it. 00:06:16:08 00:06:17:16 >> I feel like it's a bad thing 00:06:17:16 00:06:18:21 that they done. 00:06:18:21 00:06:19:17 I feel like it's a good thing 00:06:19:17 00:06:20:14 that we're doing. 00:06:20:14 00:06:21:14 But I feel like it's bad 00:06:21:14 00:06:22:14 what they've done. 00:06:22:14 00:06:23:13 >> A lot of people could say 00:06:23:13 00:06:24:09 it's a victimless crime, 00:06:24:09 00:06:25:05 but it costs a lot of money 00:06:25:05 00:06:26:10 to clean up. 00:06:26:10 00:06:28:05 It causes a lot of people harm, 00:06:28:05 00:06:29:28 looking at this every day. 00:06:29:28 00:06:32:01 It's just not pretty. 00:06:32:01 00:06:33:29 >> That brings about, we hope, 00:06:33:29 00:06:35:17 a change in how they feel 00:06:35:17 00:06:37:10 about themselves, how they feel 00:06:37:10 00:06:39:07 about what they contributed 00:06:39:07 00:06:40:17 to the community, and maybe 00:06:40:17 00:06:41:24 change some of those behaviors 00:06:41:24 00:06:42:29 that brought them 00:06:42:29 00:06:44:11 to the Corrections system 00:06:44:11 00:06:46:20 to begin with. 00:06:48:01 00:06:49:05 >> One of our main aspects 00:06:49:05 00:06:50:09 is to go door to door 00:06:50:09 00:06:51:13 in our sectors, and talk to 00:06:51:13 00:06:52:18 the residents to see what's 00:06:52:18 00:06:53:26 going on in their blocks. 00:06:53:26 00:06:54:25 >> We go out every Tuesday 00:06:54:25 00:06:56:14 with Operation Payback, 00:06:56:14 00:06:57:22 in collaboration with the 00:06:57:22 00:06:59:04 Police Department, Probation and 00:06:59:04 00:07:01:03 Parole, and Safe & Sound. 00:07:01:03 00:07:02:01 >> We try to set up block 00:07:02:01 00:07:03:11 watches with residents. 00:07:03:11 00:07:04:28 We take in their concerns, 00:07:04:28 00:07:06:10 and then forward those 00:07:06:10 00:07:08:04 to the appropriate areas. 00:07:08:04 00:07:09:11 >> I go door to door, and 00:07:09:11 00:07:11:22 I try to speak with residents. 00:07:11:22 00:07:12:22 I knock on every door 00:07:12:22 00:07:13:25 in the area. 00:07:13:25 00:07:15:19 And I give them the information 00:07:15:19 00:07:17:03 about our agency, to start with, 00:07:17:03 00:07:18:17 Safe & Sound. 00:07:18:17 00:07:21:04 (speaking Spanish) 00:07:22:25 00:07:24:01 >> We then empower those 00:07:24:01 00:07:25:07 residents with the tools 00:07:25:07 00:07:26:16 and the know-how 00:07:26:16 00:07:27:20 on how they can handle it. 00:07:27:20 00:07:29:25 (speaking Spanish) 00:07:29:25 00:07:32:06 >> Okay. 00:07:32:06 00:07:33:16 What we did, is we came up 00:07:33:16 00:07:35:18 with several flyers 00:07:35:18 00:07:36:18 that reach out to residents 00:07:36:18 00:07:38:14 on the graffiti problem. 00:07:38:14 00:07:39:19 So, I talk to the residents 00:07:39:19 00:07:40:19 and I ask them, 00:07:40:19 00:07:41:23 have you had any problems 00:07:41:23 00:07:43:07 with graffiti on your block? 00:07:43:07 00:07:44:12 And if so, what have you done? 00:07:44:12 00:07:46:10 Have you called to report it? 00:07:46:10 00:07:47:11 >> So, by having a block watch 00:07:47:11 00:07:48:09 on your block, 00:07:48:09 00:07:49:23 you become the ears and eyes 00:07:49:23 00:07:51:01 of that neighborhood. 00:07:51:01 00:07:53:00 >> The main thing is to educate 00:07:53:00 00:07:54:08 residents on the importance 00:07:54:08 00:07:55:19 of reporting. 00:07:55:19 00:07:56:17 >> It's amazing, 00:07:56:17 00:07:57:22 we're walking the streets 00:07:57:22 00:07:58:23 picking up garbage 00:07:58:23 00:07:59:20 with the offenders. 00:07:59:20 00:08:00:22 >> Nice to meet you. 00:08:00:22 00:08:01:19 It's a good thing 00:08:01:19 00:08:02:21 you guys are doing. 00:08:02:21 00:08:03:18 >> The number of citizens that 00:08:03:18 00:08:04:16 will come up and talk to us, 00:08:04:16 00:08:05:18 and ask us what's going on, 00:08:05:18 00:08:06:18 so we can build 00:08:06:18 00:08:08:01 that relationship with them. 00:08:08:01 00:08:09:18 The main purpose is to better 00:08:09:18 00:08:11:11 equip the residents 00:08:11:11 00:08:13:12 with resources, overall quality 00:08:13:12 00:08:15:01 of life, bettering that 00:08:15:01 00:08:16:14 in the neighborhoods. 00:08:16:14 00:08:17:16 I mean, just trying to make it 00:08:17:16 00:08:19:01 a cleaner and safer place. 00:08:19:01 00:08:20:01 The one thing you want people 00:08:20:01 00:08:21:21 to know is you have folks 00:08:21:21 00:08:23:09 that are out there to help you. 00:08:23:09 00:08:24:19 And as an organizer, I'm 00:08:24:19 00:08:27:09 one of those that can do that. 00:08:27:09 00:08:28:28 >> I'm a big advocate 00:08:28:28 00:08:30:21 of city departments, other 00:08:30:21 00:08:32:04 community based organizations 00:08:32:04 00:08:33:24 working together. 00:08:33:24 00:08:35:03 I think that's certainly 00:08:35:03 00:08:37:12 the wave of the future. 00:08:37:12 00:08:38:27 >> I think it's important 00:08:38:27 00:08:40:12 for the residents to see 00:08:40:12 00:08:42:08 all the groups working together. 00:08:42:08 00:08:43:13 After all, they are the 00:08:43:13 00:08:44:22 taxpayers, but what better way 00:08:44:22 00:08:46:09 to see your local government 00:08:46:09 00:08:48:03 and police and community based 00:08:48:03 00:08:49:10 organizations working 00:08:49:10 00:08:51:21 all together for them? 00:08:51:21 00:08:54:02 We're giving back. 00:08:54:02 00:08:55:16 And you know, the offenders are 00:08:55:16 00:08:56:24 an aspect of that, where they're 00:08:56:24 00:08:58:12 giving back to the community. 00:08:58:12 00:08:59:27 >> I have seen individuals who 00:08:59:27 00:09:01:12 have come through this program 00:09:01:12 00:09:03:03 where the police have connected 00:09:03:03 00:09:04:13 them with job opportunities, 00:09:04:13 00:09:06:06 with GED and educational 00:09:06:06 00:09:07:22 opportunities. 00:09:07:22 00:09:09:14 That's important. 00:09:09:14 00:09:10:20 >> To help these offenders who 00:09:10:20 00:09:11:23 are on Probation and Parole to 00:09:11:23 00:09:13:23 be successful in the community, 00:09:13:23 00:09:15:05 to become part of the community. 00:09:15:05 00:09:16:29 >> It's been a great, 00:09:16:29 00:09:18:23 positive thing, in the fact 00:09:18:23 00:09:21:09 that we've got this relationship 00:09:21:09 00:09:23:18 we now have with the police. 00:09:23:18 00:09:25:12 That has just been enhanced 00:09:25:12 00:09:26:24 because of this. 00:09:26:24 00:09:27:29 >> I enjoy working with people 00:09:27:29 00:09:29:21 and helping them. 00:09:29:21 00:09:30:25 The reward at the end of the day 00:09:30:25 00:09:32:08 is knowing that I gave them 00:09:32:08 00:09:33:18 something that can either 00:09:33:18 00:09:34:23 better equip their life or 00:09:34:23 00:09:37:11 their situation that they're in. 00:09:37:11 00:09:38:18 Overall, just helping people, 00:09:38:18 00:09:40:17 that's my goal. 00:09:40:17 00:09:43:00 That's where my passion is. 00:09:43:00 00:09:44:15 We hope to keep moving it 00:09:44:15 00:09:45:29 forward, because it is 00:09:45:29 00:09:47:29 a very rewarding program. 00:09:47:29 00:09:49:11 It feels good 00:09:49:11 00:09:51:15 at the end of the day. 00:09:55:04 00:09:56:12 >> For more information, 00:09:56:12 00:09:57:21 visit us on the Web at: 00:09:57:21 00:10:01:11 ecb.org/engage