PROGRESSIVE INITIATIVE WORKING FOR BELOIT

Recently, the Beloit Police Department embarked on a mission to address a
series of problems and illegal activity, some of which had the potential to
be life-threatening in a small area of our city. Our analysis of this area
revealed a high level of citizen fear, and officers were responding to many
calls for service, including drug dealing and random shooting complaints.

Previous initiatives as suggested in an Aug. 12 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
editorial had met with only limited success.

During a meeting, neighborhood residents requested a traffic restriction
security measure from the options that were offered and asked that it be
implemented as quickly as possible.

For seven days, through traffic was restricted between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. to
those who lived on Nelson Ave. or were visiting friends there. No one was
prohibited from walking into the area. The 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of
Appeals upheld a similar initiative in Maxwell vs. City of New York.

We are optimistic about the preliminary results of this initiative. Since
Aug. 9, police calls have been substantially reduced. The residents are
delighted. They have started a neighborhood watch and other enrichment
programs to nurture healthy living free from crime.

Progressive police departments challenge themselves to look for new,
effective crime-prevention initiatives that focus on partnerships between
citizens and police to solve community problems and to make neighborhoods
safe. That is our primary focus in Beloit.

Richard P. Thomas Chief of Police Beloit