The Milwaukee Post

Organics collection pilot program to begin in city MILWAUKEE — The city Department of Public Works announced a one-year pilot pro- gram to study the impact of a residential collection program for food and yard waste. The pilot study zone will target a limited number of households that include Bay View, East Side and Riverwest neighborhoods. Residents in single-, two-, and multifamily homes (up to four units) are eligible to partici- pate in the study. Participating households will receive a 65-gallon cart for food and yard waste, which will be collected every other week December through March, and collected every week April through November 2017. It will be picked up at the usual garbage and recycling collection point. Residents who volunteer for the program will pay a $12.75 per month fee during the pilot peri- od for the additional service. Participants will be billed quarterly. They also will receive a starter kit that includes a kitchen caddy, a sup- ply of compostable plastic bags, an acceptable compost materials guide, and coupons from area stores and restaurants. When 100 households sign up for the program, it will move forward. If there is suffi- cient demand, the program will accept up to 500 total households. The purpose is to regain space that could be used to extend the life of a landfill. Food waste makes up 21 percent of the average person's garbage. "My goal of 40 percent waste diversion from the landfill by 2020 can be achieved when we offer Milwaukee residents the tools to make good decisions to improve and protect our environment," Mayor Tom Barrett said. "I was happy to sponsor the legislation that created the Organics Collection Pilot Program that includes my Bay View neighborhood," said Ald. Tony Zielinski, 14th District. "I believe that many neighbors will be eager to sign up and participate as we work to better re-use and dispose of our food and yard waste." 4 • Milwaukee County Post • September 23, 2016 WEEK IN REVIEW STATE AND LOCAL STORIES OF INTEREST Marquette University Police Department reports significant drop in crime during first full year MILWAUKEE — During its first full year since it was commissioned, the Marquette University Police Department recorded a drop in crime throughout its patrol zone. Comparing the fiscal year that ended June 30 with the previous fiscal year, the depart- ment reported it saw a 42 percent decrease in robberies, a 62 percent drop in batteries and assaults, and a 23 percent decrease in burglaries. "Ensuring a safe environment is a top priority for Marquette University, and I'm incredibly proud of all the work our officers have done on behalf of our entire commu- nity, including our students, faculty and staff," said MUPD Chief Paul Mascari said in a statement. "We take a comprehensive approach to community policing, which includes specialized training in subjects such as crisis intervention, outreach to members of our homeless population, and fair and impartial policing." The MUPD's patrol zone extends beyond Marquette's campus to include a significant portion of the surrounding community. The MUPD became a commissioned police department on May 1, 2015. The department has 40 commissioned officers who receive the state-mandated 520 hours of training, as well as a psychological review, medical evaluation and drug test. Marquette's former Department of Public Safety spent 15 years building an extensive safety infrastructure which includes more than 700 cameras, over 450 blue light emer- gency phones, a state-of-the-art command center, campus-wide text alert system and a nationally recognized student safety program. Suspects sought in South Side burglary MILWAUKEE — Police are asking for the public's help in finding three suspects want- ed for the armed robbery of DOK Champa Asian Gifts, 3201 W. Burnham St., at about 1:15 p.m. Sept. 15. Two armed suspects entered the store and fled to a getaway car driven by a third suspect, police said. The investigation continued Wednesday, Sgt. Timothy Gauerke said. The first suspect is a Hispanic male, age 20 to 25, 6 feet tall, seen wearing a blue, black and gray hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, and red gym shoes with white soles and laces. The second suspect is a male about 5 feet 10 inches, last seen wearing a black vest, blue long-sleeved shirt, stonewashed jeans and white Nike gym shoes. The getaway vehicle is believed to be a 2001 to 2005 silver Honda Civic with a black hood and rear spoiler. Anyone with information is asked to call Milwaukee police at 414-935-7360. Sheriff's Office: Squad struck by van on freeway MILWAUKEE — A sheriff's deputy who was slowing traffic on Interstate 43 north- bound near Hampton Avenue at about 10:15 a.m. Sept. 16 to remove a ladder from the free- way had his squad struck from behind by a Ford transport van, the Sheriff's Office said. The deputy, who had his squad lights on, was not hurt and the driver was cooperative, the Sheriff's Office said. The Glendale Police Department handled the crash investiga- tion. State warns consumers of skimmers at gas stations MILWAUKEE — Residents should be alert to credit and debit card skimming devices on fuel dispensers at gas stations, the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection said. Inspectors from the department's Weights and Measures Bureau reported skimmers in gas dispensers at stations throughout Wisconsin. Skimmers can be external devices, basically false card readers that fit over the card reader on the pump. They can be internal devices, typical- ly a communications cable with an in-line recording device that is run between the card reader and main board. "A consumer may likely have no indication that they used an altered dispenser until they find a discrepancy on their bank statements," said Frank Frassetto, division administrator of Trade and Consumer Protection. He urged con- sumers to closely check their monthly state- ments and credit reports. At the pump, consumers can: ■ Lightly wiggle the card reader on the pump to feel for looseness. ■ Look to see if any security seals have been broken on the dispenser cabinet. For more information or to report possible skimmers, contact the DATCP's Weights and Measures team at 608-224-4942 or email datcpweightsandmeasures@wi.gov. App leads to arrest of four suspects in armed robbery MILWAUKEE — Police say they used the popular "Find My iPhone" feature to locate and arrest several armed robbery suspects on the North Side. Two men were robbed by two armed male suspects in the 2300 block of West Keefe Avenue at about 11:45 a.m. Sept. 14, taking a cellphone and other items, police reported. Using an app, officers tracked the phone to the 100 block of West Capitol Drive where they found the phone and two guns and arrested four suspects inside the getaway vehicle, ranging in age from 19 to 27. Complaint: Man stole over $10,000 in fragrances WAUKESHA — A Milwaukee man could face a maximum of six years in prison if con- victed of stealing fragrances valued at $10,017 from JC Penney over six months. Markell Baker, 40, was charged in Waukesha County Circuit Court on Monday with felony retail theft. He is scheduled to appear in court at 8:15 a.m. on Oct. 3. On Feb. 8, officers from the Menomonee Falls Police Department made contact with the JC Penney store at N96-W18515 County Line Road regarding retail theft. Store staff noticed a large shortage in the fragrance inventory, according to a criminal complaint. In store video footage dating back to Dec. 27, 2015, company investigators allegedly noticed Baker, a member of the store's contracted cleaning crew, bagging fragrances, placing them in a garbage can and picking them up following his shift. He admitted tak- ing 10 to 12 bottles of fragrance three to four days a week for six months. He would then sell them to customers at beauty salons and barber shops in Milwaukee. Barrett Zielinski Submitted photo This is an example of an internal skimmer used to steal credit card information.

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