BIRMINGHAM, Ala (WIAT) - Racine County Wis., a place similar in population to Birmingham, has seen a large drop in violent crime in the past year following the implementation of COP Houses, which stands for Community Oriented Policing.
COP Houses are a collaborative effort between county, city and community organizations, including the Racine chapter of Voices of Black Mothers United.
"They are ran by the cops, by the police, but they are centered into the worst crime neighborhoods," said Sylvia Bennett Stone, the National Director of Voices of Black Mothers United. "What we have done, the Woodson Center Voices of Black Mothers, have taken that to another level of actually bringing community programs into the COP Houses.
The COP houses have shown significant reductions in violent crimes.
"Right now, Racine is zero homicides to date. 73% reduction of shots fired. 345% reduction in people being shot.," said Stone.
On July 13, the same day that seven people were killed in two separate incidents in Birmingham, the Woodson Center was holding a private summit in Birmingham to discuss crime solutions.
"Police have to trust the community, and the community have to trust the police," said Bob Woodson, the founder of the Woodson Center. "And so, what we did in Racine, is build that kind of trusting relationship between the community, the police, other people in law enforcement. And not by lecturing to people but coming out and interacting and being mentors to these kids. Being a surrogate father, in some cases. Unity works."
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