There have been many issues surrounding safety in the UWM area. I live about four blocks from campus and I have always felt safe. However, lately, its been questionable. Two weeks ago I was getting ready to leave my apartment before class around 12 (Noon) and a woman was robbed in broad daylight right outside my apartment. There have even been countless incidents on campus as well. I even heard that the UWM police is hiring a police officer just to look for suspicious people around the campus area. Other safety concerns that have come to my attention in the last couple weeks have involved the safety of pedestrians crossing the street, people on bikes and mopeds, etc. One of my good friends from high school, Jake, was hit by a car on April 4th over by MSOE while he was driving his moped. The driver of the car ran a red light and hit Jake. Jake was not wearing a helmet. He remains in the ICU at Froedtert hospital with head trauma. He still hasn't woke up. I remember hearing of a couple other accidents recently involving pedestrians in Milwaukee.
So my question this week is what do you think of safety around campus and even in Milwaukee? Do you feel safe? Are there precautions that you take to insure your safety? Do you walk alone or with someone? What do you think this means for the future of UWM and the campus area? If you were coming here as a freshman, would you live in the new freshmen residence hall on the outskirts of the Riverwest area?
Another topic that many are faced with this time of year is housing. I know I have been in the search process for a couple of weeks now. Any success stories out there? Good landlords or companies? Advice for price?
15 comments:
I know that over the years, I have definitely become smarter when it comes to safety. When I was first a freshman I used to walk around the UWM area at 3am, drunk, by myself all the time and nothing ever happened to me. Now when I have a class over at 8pm I never hesitate to call BOSS because I live 7 blocks from campus. I would never consider walking alone, but the few times I have to and it’s dusk, I won’t even listen to my iPod in fear that someone might be able to rob me if I am oblivious to the world while I’m jamming to music. Also, if I have a night class, I’d rather pay the $3 to park in the union than risk walking to campus alone.
If I was an incoming freshman I’m not sure if I would live in the Riverwest housing. It’s a lot different after you live here. To me, in 2003…Milwaukee was “scary” in general because I came from a very small town up north. I just lived in the dorms because I felt that UWM would not steer me wrong and I’d be safe there. Incoming freshman would probably live in the Riverwest housing, thinking that UWM would provide a safe living area, but after living here for four years, I would NEVER move to Riverwest. I worked there everyday for a summer, and that was scary enough. Everyday I hoped my car was still there when I left the office. I also have many friends that have lived there because of how cheap it is and have had their cars broken into numerous times.
Let’s just conclude with, I’m happy to be leaving Milwaukee and hopefully moving to a small, quaint, beachside community in California where I am safe :)
I've definitely thought about it more, but I haven't necessarily done anything different about it. I'm not terribly street smart - a few weeks back some guy pulled his car over, rolled his window down, and then asked me some directions. Without thinking I got pretty close to his car because I couldn't hear him very well. Then after he asked for directions he, no lie, started asking about technology that someone might use to broadcast into people's heads, because he'd been "hearing things all day".
It was at that point that I thought to myself, "Wow, I'm totally within stabbing distance here."
Obviously, I'm still alive, so maybe he was just trying to creatively prove a point to me about getting too close to strangers.
Sadly, I dont really feel safe. However, I try to be causcious and aware of my surroundings and not let it get to me. I think I used to be very nieve about the city and I trusted people too much, and after living here for 4 years, and getting my car window smashed, purse stolen, and $900 of credit card theft, I have learned many lessons. We live in a big city, and although it has its highlights, its just like everyother big city and it has it's downsides.
As far as housing goes, I am moving away from campus after graduation, and my first concern was safety (obviously), and it was weird to look other places than right around campus. It took a notion of having to leave my "comfort zone" and venture out, but I feel that I will be okay.
I think generally I feel pretty safe around campus. I suppose I've been doing a few things differently since the recent robberies...if I need to be on campus at night I leave my cash, wallet, and ipod at home and I only catch the bus at the stop outside of qdoba where there is a lot of traffic and street lights, but for the most part, I feel OK about walking around. I just noticed the Riverwest construction was for UWM today and I thought cool! I wish I was a freshman again! Ever since I've lived in Milwaukee I've heard people make comments about how "scary" things are around there and I think it's just silly...
How quickly has Milwaukee become a metropolis for the heinous. The most laughable thing about Milwaukee is the safety and the complacency of the police. Within in my four years of living on the east side my car has been broken into twice and stolen once.
it pisses me off to no end that a majority of Doyle's votes are in a city he has no intentions of helping. As the murder rate increases he just sits and does nothing. as the crime rate rises he sits and still does nothing, as the good tax paying citizens of this fair city are being bullied he, yes still sits and does nothing.
i digress but this issue has bugged me for a long time. Wisconsin is one of three states to be without a conceal carry law. That deprives us the opportunity to protect ourselves and our families legally. As we all know the bad guys already have the guns because they don’t care about the consequences. Take a look at the other states, there is no wild-wild west mentality. Its just people registered to a gun with training to that gun protecting the only family they have.
I know I would feel much safer if I could pack a gat too ;) jk.....
so in closing I don’t feel safe in Milwaukee at all. all this complacency is leading up to a lot of vigilantes running amok. Screw the queen, god save Milwaukee!!! :)
I don't really feel unsafe. I have had some sketchy things happen to me and some people I know, but that same stuff happened where I'm from all the time. I'm from Racine originally and I feel like Milwaukee is no different -- it's just a little bit bigger.
I will say things aren't how they used to be when I was really little, but I don't think it is as bad as everyone makes it out to be now. Besides, I took a self defense class once and I used to take kick boxing, so predators beware! J/K I'm weak.
safe...safe..safe..hmm. What can I say? There is much to fear in this world. Comparably, I feel quite secure in milwaukee even if I do live in the dreaded riverwest! (cue ghost noise...) Personally, I feel that riverwest is a more stable community which makes me feel safer, even if cars get messed with a bit more. Further, it seems like the crime is increasing on the east side and, at worst, staying the same here in riverwest (if not decreasing). I think what people forget is that even though we live in a big city, the "united" states still has the highest murder rate in the world (they do happen in small towns y'know). Despite all of this, I definitely feel safer than I would in the middle east or many places in Africa. They say you can't have your cake and eat it too...well you can't be white and privileged and not expect to get fucked with. I have never been mugged on the street but I know how little my possessions are worth compared to my life and I know how many people have been stepped on throughout history for me to be born into this privileged life - when it happens, I hope I'm strong enough to forgive my assailant. I mean...we're not talking genocide here...
Less than a year ago I would have said that I felt safe in this area, but now, I have to say I don't. I have heard so many horrible stories of rape, muggings and violence in the last few months that I don't feel like I can go on the late night jog or walk by myself anymore. I live on the 2500 block of prospect and just a couple of months ago our parking garage was broken into and at least 50% of the cars were broken into. Also, a friend of mine who only lives a few blocks away on park was walking home in the early night a few weeks ago, he got jumped by three guys who took a grand total of $8 from him but left him with a broken rib and lots of bruises.
I'm glad UWM is taking extra procautions to ensure students saftey. Too bad I'm moving to New Berlin and won't be around to see if the extra security actually makes a difference. Which by the way, for $10 less than I'm paying now, I'm doubling the size of my apartment by moving out of Milwaukee. I'll miss it, but overall I'll be getting more for what I'm paying for.
First off, sorry to hear about your friend James.
I try to avoid walking home at night but even if I had to, I wouldn't feel less safe. I live relatively close to campus (2 blocks in front of the Union) so I feel pretty comfortable getting to my house.
I was actually mugged in January. The guys jumped us, beat us up, but didn't get anything. They tried but we didn't give anything up. I had to get a route canal in my front tooth because the guy kicked me in the face and my buddy had like an inch gash above his eye that he should have gotten stitches for.
We were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I have not had any bad experiences personally nor have any of my friends however, I have heard about people getting mugged, "jumped", and robbed more times than one would want. Its hard for me to realize how unsafe parts of the eastside can be because I haven't had a negative experience so at times I've found myself doing some pretty stupid things! I don't really know what the solution to making the eastside safer is however, I hope something changes soon!
Just today I was told about a family friend of mine that was mugged. She was a girl walking to her car, by herself and thankfully had nothing on her and they left. It's terrible to think of what could have happened to her. It's scary to think that people are getting robbed at 7am, because I know I never felt safe when I used to have to walk to work at 5:45am to campus from five blocks away. But I have my pepper spray and hold my keys in a certain way that I'm always on the lookout.
As for new housing after graduation, I just got a one bedroom apartment closer to downtown. It's acrossed the street from Metro Market, so I'm really excited about the location. It's my first time without a roommate, but my brother lives in the same building, so that way I'll feel safe.
van halen rocks! woo woo!!
I don't really feel safe around campus. I was mugged a year and a half ago right near campus in my boyfriend's apartment building lobby. Two guys followed me inside. And this was on Cramer and Linnwood, which I used to think was safe since it was so close to campus. So, I don't really feel safe anymore, especially with all the stories we're hearing about things going on recently.
van halen or van hagar????
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