Milwaukee Gang Rape/Dyson or Cosby?

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Editorial: A job bigger than police

The numbers show police seized scores of guns and dozens of pounds of cocaine and jailed thousands of suspected wrongdoers over the summer, Milwaukee Police Chief Nannette Hegerty noted this week. Yet assaults and robberies have surged.


"I think we have a societal crisis," Hegerty concluded. Think? We most certainly have a societal crisis, and a long-simmering one. The fuel comes from many sources, but the latest was the collapse of the economic floor under Milwaukee's inner city during the 1980s, due to the downturn in manufacturing. That section of town is still reeling from the catastrophe.

The chief also said: "This is a problem bigger than law enforcement." Indeed, societal problems cry out for societal solutions. Yes, the Police Department plays a crucial role. But others must pitch in, too.

As it happened, two heinous crimes punctuated the crisis this week. A 22-year-old man, Brandon Sprewer, was shot at a bus stop on the northwest side in a robbery. And an 11-year-old girl was allegedly gang raped on the north side. The depravity of that crime was unusual - a 40-year-old relative was among the 19 suspected culprits. A recent United Way of Greater Milwaukee report notes that a substantial portion of teen moms are victims of sexual assault, often by adult males.

In considering the scope of the solutions, the Fire Department may be illustrative. It puts out fires and, ordinarily, is not held responsible for their outbreak. Still, the department has a role to play in prevention. It can encourage the use of smoke alarms, for instance. It can lobby to require fire-resistant materials in consumer products.

But prevention requires more: City officials can insist on sprinklers in new construction. Neighborhood groups can stay on the alert for fire traps. Teachers can warn children against playing with matches. Public policies to encourage higher incomes can help because there is a greater risk of fires among the poor. The insurance industry can pitch in. And residents themselves have a role to play, by practicing fire safety.

In like manner, the Police Department primarily responds to crime after the fact. It has a role to play in prevention, but it needs help. More jobs in the inner city would be the No. 1 cure - a task beyond the reach of the police. After-school programs curb teen crime - a reason to contribute to such programs, via the United Way, for instance. And yes, crime is an individual responsibility. Parents must raise children right and true.

Hegerty is not off the hook. But stemming the hopelessness fueling this crisis is a job bigger than the police.