(Photos by Edgar Mendez)
Block watch captains and members gathered recently at Longfellow School, 1021 S. 21st St., where officials from the Milwaukee Police Department District 2 recognized them for their crime-prevention efforts. Other guests included Mayor Tom Barrett, state Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa (D-Milwaukee) and Aldermen James Witkowiak and Bob Donovan.
District 2 has 214 block watches, the most in the city, according to police Capt. Rebecca Pixley. During the past year, 62 new block watches were formed in the district.
The mayor urged those in attendance to continue their vigilance and efforts to make neighborhoods safe for everyone.
“My vision is to have a city where grandmothers can sit on their porch and watch their grandchildren play, regardless of the economic situation in the neighborhood.” Barrett said. “Block watches play a big part in that.”
Edgar is a senior staff reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. Mendez is a proud graduate of UW-Milwaukee, where he double majored in Journalism and Sociology, and of Marquette University, where he earned a master’s degree in Communication. As an accomplished journalist, Edgar’s awards include a 2018 Regional Edward R. Murrow award, several press club awards and a Society of Professional Journalists’ regional award for columns dealing with issues such as poverty, homelessness and racism.
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