The Madison Police Department is pleased to announce it has received a $156,000 federal criminal justice innovation grant to help overcome social divisions, improve trust between police and residents, and reduce crime within Southwest Madison.
U.S. Department of Justice funding will enable stakeholders in the Raymond Road Corridor to come together to develop a comprehensive action plan to reduce crime and build social cohesion in the area as the first step in a neighborhood revitalization effort. Upon completion of the 18-month planning effort, federal funding of up to $1,000,000 may be available to implement the plan.
Neighborhoods in the corridor include Teresa Terrace, Balsam-Russett, Meadowood, Greentree, Orchard Ridge and Prairie Hills. Falk Elementary School and the Meadowood and Teresa Terrace Neighborhood Centers are also in the area.
Through a steering committee, community task forces and hotspot teams, neighborhood residents, MPD, Common Wealth Development, neighborhood centers, public schools, faith institutions and other nonprofit and public agencies will jointly plan a comprehensive neighborhood safety strategy to enhance and improve crime reduction and prevention efforts to achieve measurable objectives:
- Support emerging neighborhood leaders who will help build social cohesion and collective efficacy within the community
- Improve public safety through building trust and collaborative problem-solving among MPD officers, residents and community organizations
- Create a durable framework of residents and community organizations to support grassroots leadership and sustain momentum
- Identify action projects to meet a community goal using available and leveraged resources to achieve positive improvements
We are lucky to have an outstanding researcher partnering with us on this effort. Dr. Kimberly D. Hassell is a criminal justice associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, who has spent the past three years working on a similarly-funded program in Milwaukee.
Coordinated by the Common Wealth project manager, neighborhood residents will work closely with law enforcement personnel to review past efforts, identify current crime patterns and needs, and develop an action plan to bring resources to bear on these needs. The expertise of the research partner will help integrate evidence-based crime prevention and mitigation strategies into the process. Community policing strategies will be augmented by a range of community services and resources, and strengthened by intentional outreach, engagement of, and collaboration with those most affected, the people who live in the Raymond Road Corridor.
Partners include:
- Neighborhood residents
- Madison Police Department
- Common Wealth Development
- Teresa Terrace Neighborhood Center / Wisconsin Youth Company
- Meadowood Neighborhood Center
- Mellowhood Foundation
- The Road Home
- Joining Forces for Families
- Madison Metropolitan School District
- Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ
- Meadowood and Prairie Neighborhood Associations
- City of Madison Neighborhood Resource Teams
- Meadowridge Library
MPD has put forth considerable effort over the years to stabilize and improve neighborhoods along the Raymond Road corridor. The initiatives funded through this grant will complement that work.
This blog was authored by James Powell and Captain Victor Wahl.