City announces anti-crime effort
‘Operation Dear John’ targets those who solicit prostitutes in Milwaukee
A 16-year-old girl says she was walking in her south side Milwaukee neighborhood with her brother and boyfriend when a man suddenly stopped his car.
“A guy pulled over and said, ‘Excuse me guys, can I have her for like an hour?’ ”said the girl, who is not being identified because of her age.
People who try to solicit prostitutes are now being targeted by a new initiative dubbed “Operation Dear John,” which aims to crack down on those who fuel the demand for prostitution and human trafficking.
South side Alds. Bob Donovan and José Pérez announced the effort to take on “johns” at a Wednesday afternoon news conference on W. Greenfield Ave., an area some city officials say is facing a “crisis of prostitution.” They were joined by business owners, residents and public safety advocate Betty Grinker of Operation Impact.
Donovan, chairman of the Common Council’s Public Safety and Health Committee, said “Operation Dear John” is part of an effort designed to address “the ongoing, outof-control prostitution problem in this neighborhood.”
The crackdown on johns will start this week as a two-month pilot project, but the aldermen said they hope to continue it over the long term.
“We will be sending out letters to the johns who are identified pulling up on these streets, engaging prostitutes,” Donovan said. “We will be sending letters to their homes indicating that this is a neighborhood known for prostitution and drugs, and if you’re out here, we’d like you to be aware of that.”
A private security company has been hired to gather that information, as well as report what they see going on in and around the neighborhood, he said. The $6,000 program is being funded by neighborhood schools and businesses, as well as Operation Impact.
“We want to know what homes are being used by these prostitutes and drug dealers. We want to know what vehicles are coming into this neighborhood on a daily basis, committing crime after crime after crime,” Donovan said. “The message is very simple — if you’re coming into this neighborhood to engage in criminal activity, don’t. We don’t want you. Get the hell out of here.”
The project is an effort to resurrect past programs, such as a similar initiative from four years ago.
Pérez praised neighborhood residents, police officers, the city attorney’s office and the Benedict Center, which recently opened its second location for its Sisters Program. Sisters is a diversion program for sex workers.
But he added that more needs to be done.
“The people on this street need relief,” Pérez said. “And this pilot program is just another layer that we’re going to help with this problem. And we’ll continue to add layer after layer until the residents of this community feel the difference.”
Cynthia Rich, the mother of the girl who was propositioned, said something needs to change.
“This area is attracting a lot of sick individuals,” Rich said. “It’s not fair because they don’t live here. We live here with our children.”