The Milwaukee Police Department was once among the most distinguished police forces in the

country, technologically advanced, in sync with the community at police, and effective in making

Milwaukee one of America's safest big cities.

During the 60s, though, the MPD, like so many other big city departments, began to face

a deteriorating situation

of soaring crime, poor relationships with minorities, and disgruntled cops.

Has the MPD been able to reverse that downward spiral in more recent years, and if so, how? Hello, I'm City Journal editor Brian Anderson.

Thanks for joining us for the 10 Blocks podcast featuring urban policy and cultural commentary

with City Journal editors, contributors,

and special guests.

Today on a show, we have George Kelling, a longtime Milwaukee native, influential policing

scholar and consultant, and a Manhattan Institute senior fellow.

He's going to discuss his newest book, Policing in Milwaukee,

A Strategic History, which traces this story expertly. Thanks for joining us, George.

Thank you for having me. Your book opens with recollections of your childhood in Milwaukee,

where you and your friends could roam the streets at all hours without

your parents batting an eyelash. By the late 1960s, that kind of scenario had become very

hard to imagine, didn't it? Yes. What you describe is the case. I remember vividly when I was

quite young, using public transportation, I grew up across the street

from one of the first housing developments in the United States, park lawn in Milwaukee.

It was loaded with kids.

We had great times playing ball.

...