(No, I'm not taking a jab at the Journal Times' website where, as I write this, five of the ten Local story links are to crime stories.)
Rather, let's take an introductory look at Racine Uncovered It's a day old; so far it has three days' worth of Police Blotter headings: just the address and type of police call involved. Like this small snippet, plucked at random:- 4000 Marquette Dr – Civil trouble
- 2000 Superior – Trouble with kids
- NORTH BEACH OASIS – Vandalism to vehicle
- 1300 Erie – Graffiti
- 900 Grand – Civil trouble
- 2800 Jean Av – Trouble with kids
- 17th/Howe – Fight
There are some crime prevention tips, a listing of Police and Fire scanner codes ("10-4, Dan-O!") and a list of phone numbers and email contacts for area Police and Racine aldermen. There's also an Opinion page, which now holds an introductory and earnest piece dated Monday with this explanation about the site's creator and its genesis:
I am not a news agency, I am not a reporter, hell I am just like all of you. I guess I just got so sick of how this city is spiraling down that I wasn’t going to sit back and bury my head in the sand like so many others do. Crime isn’t going to disappear over night, the thugs and criminals that are preying on this city aren’t just going to up and move. We have been in this mess for quite awhile and it’s going to take ALL OF US and I mean every resident, young adult, & child to start making changes to better this city. We have to open our eyes when we see something wrong and not turn away. (I always say don’t put yourself in danger to stop something) but if you see something, do something about it. First and most importantly, get to know your neighbors, watch each others' backs. Keep an eye on the elderly in your area (think of them as your parents and or grandparents). Start being kind to each other, pay it forward a little...The blog's author identifies herself, through a link to a 2006 story by the JT's Mike Moore, as Beth David, a woman whose sister was killed in 2005 by an unlicensed driver who then essentially went unpunished. David fought to get the law changed; it is now a felony in Wisconsin to seriously injure or kill someone while driving without a license.
Most importantly I hope somehow this creates change on people’s blocks, right outside their front doors, that they become more aware of what is going on, reporting crimes to the police and working with the police to clean up their streets. This site isn’t going to change Racine overnight but I hope it gets the ball rolling.
And so, we have a new website focused on crime -- and on making a difference. It'll be interesting to see what comes of it.
HT to Orbscorbs at JT Irregulars
Hats off to someone actually taking steps to do something about our problems instead of complaining and hoping it goes away. Good step, we'll see how it goes.
ReplyDeleteFOR SHAME! we all know there is no crime in Racine right? The uptown art project and First Friday's have ended it.
ReplyDeleteWaint until a Goggle map is made with the locations of the shoots etc is made and the locations of low income housing projects marked.
This is a great tool for us to use!
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Corry/John Thanks for letting hundreds of hard core thugs out of the State Prisons to make your master Doyle happy and put us the voters at risk. Thinking come time for reelection we will be able to have a list of the thugs YOU let out and those they (the thugs) have murdered.
I guess now people are sitting up and taking notice with you guys putting me on your site lol...I'm just a normal citizen who is sick of the BS in this town. I just hope that this starts change for the better in this town and people stop burying their heads in the sand. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteBeen in contact with the Guardian Angels out of Chicago, they are setting up a branch in Milwaukee and I explained our plight here, will take some time but hopefully this is "one of the changes" I talk about.
ReplyDeleteThe site focuses on police calls, not crime. Most of the calls don't look like crimes.
ReplyDeleteAnon, an assult is a crime, a burglary is a crime, drug deals on the street are crimes. Civil trouble is usually a fight brewing, something someone is taking notice of. We can't start to address the problems that plague this city if the people don't know about them. They aren't being reported and no I am not writing an article on every crime that happens here, but wouldn't you want to know if there was a burglary in your area? People are very fearful in this community and to me that's a crime and a shame.
ReplyDeleteThis is very good information to have. As many Racine citizens remember, our incompetent police chief Kurt Wahlen couldn't even report accurate crime statistics to the community. He had to later recant his statements and provide a new set of statistics. This is also the same idiotic chief that thinks a few cameras (most of which do not work by his own admission) and some silly COP houses with 9-5 hours are going to solve this city's problems!
ReplyDeleteIf you want to see an example of an effective chief - take a look at Milwaukee. We are getting all of Milwaukee's thugs because they know our chief doesn't have anything between his legs when it comes to crime. Not once do we see Wahlen at a crime scene, not once do we see him talk to the community or media, and not once has he taken a tough stand against crime. Maybe because he is just too busy practicing for Saturday's dragon boat race?
Wake up Racine - its time for a new chief!!
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ReplyDeleteI think RacineUncovered is a great idea, however, I live in Mt. Pleasant very close the the Racine city limits. I wonder if the blogger would be willing to expand the police reports to include Mt. Pleasant and Caledonia. After all there are some areas that the city/villiages run into one another. I am dismayed that you can easily get crime stats/reports from the RPD, but there definitely seems to be a lack of transparency for MP. Oh, and I posted this same comment almost verbatim on the RacineUncovered Blog a few days ago and have yet to see it appear.
ReplyDeleteAnon 5:18 PM you know not what you are talking about. I have seen the chief at many community events, in neighborhoods walking the beat, at crime scenes and taking a tough stance on crime. Easy for you to take pop shots all the time. Racine Uncovered, while it may have information on it's site, it does not give an accurate portrait of what the real crime stats are. Be careful, Beth, or misconceptions. Don't be part of the problem. As for the cameras that are not working, they had not been working for a long time and there were no plans to replace them because of the cost. Hats off to the Racine Police Department and their chief. You officers are doing a great job. You have my support.
ReplyDelete