Click here for a detailed breakdown of crime categories and calls for police service and to read Matt’s full multimedia story. Matt Hrodey created this multimedia project for an Internet Journalism class at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in March 2007.]
By Matthew Hrodey
Despite growing concern from policymakers and the public, crime at Mayfair Mall has increased only slightly in the past five years, as measured by arrests, and it remains far below the level at Greendale’s Southridge, a mall with fewer visitors, a Frontpage Milwaukee investigation has found.
Arrests at Mayfair did increase slightly in 2006, while arrests at Southridge dipped slightly after peaking in 2005. At both malls, violent crime arrest rates are comparable to rates in Mequon and Pewaukee. This is also true of disorderly conduct arrest rates. Theft is the biggest problem.
The investigation also found that most individuals arrested are adults (defined by police as 17 and older) at both malls, and blacks accounted for 80 percent of all arrests at Mayfair in the past five years. Also, women dominated financial categories like theft, counterfeiting and fraud, whereas men dominated crimes like disorderly conduct.
For the communities of Wauwatosa and Greendale, the malls require a significant commitment of resources. Capt. Jeff Sutter of Wauwatosa Police said of Mayfair, “It’s certainly our biggest client.” In Greendale, 40 percent of Class A arrests in the past five years happened in connection to Southridge.
Southridge has more disorderly conduct, stolen property, theft, drugs, weapons, sexual assault, vandalism, liquor law and forgery arrests than Mayfair. Mayfair slightly outpaced Southridge in assault, robbery and auto theft. Neither mall had a homicide. Juvenile crime is a bigger problem at Southridge than Mayfair in almost all arrest categories. But even at Southridge, adults cause more crime.
Arrest numbers can also reflect the level of police attention.
Chief Robert J. Dams, Greendale Police, said his department focuses on Southridge. "We have a direct patch through to the mall. When we hear something happening, we already have people there," he said. Both mall security and stores within the mall have a direct link to police, which allows for quick responses. In December 2005, a chance meeting between rival gangs in the parking lot led to a brief shooting. A bullet grazed one gang member before cops apprehended everyone present. "We keep a pretty tight rein up there, as best we can," Dams said.
The General Manager of Southridge, Mary Wenger, said that crime at Southridge isn't something that management is overly concerned about. "It's not anything that anybody is losing sleep over," she said. She refused any further comment. "Anything that we handle internally, we don't comment on to the public."
When crime arrest rates at the malls are compared to some neighboring communities, they appear relatively low:
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Index |
Rate |
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Population |
Violent |
|
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Milwaukee |
550,000 |
23,806 |
43 |
|
West Allis |
58,000 |
1,782 |
31 |
|
Mayfair |
45,000 |
98 |
2 |
|
Brookfield |
40,000 |
233 |
6 |
|
Greenfield |
36,000 |
508 |
14 |
|
Southridge |
33,000 |
179 |
5 |
|
Mequon |
25,000 |
19 |
1 |
|
Shorewood |
13,000 |
47 |
4 |
|
Pewaukee |
13,000 |
64 |
5 |
(NOTE: Mall population figures are estimated daily traffic)
Despite the trends, public and prosecutorial attention as focused on Mayfair. Recent scuffles and disturbances at Mayfair covered by the Milwaukee media have prompted District Attorney John Chisholm and mall leadership to propose tighter restrictions and tougher consequences for Mayfair’s clientele, especially teenagers.
Statistics show that adult offenders outnumber juveniles 2:1 at the malls, yet Mayfair management is only targeting teenagers. Mayfair has seen a recent upsurge in disorderly conduct arrests, but that surge was created by both age groups. In 2006, police arrested 73 men, 29 women, 35 boys and 13 girls for disorderly conduct.
(NOTE: Adults are defined as 17 or older in police documents, since 17-year-olds are treated as adults in the criminal justice system)
Disorderly-conduct tickets are issued for a wide range of disturbances, including shouting, profanity, public urination and dumping soda on kiosk employees. Situations often deteriorate as unruly customers refuse orders from security guards.
See the rest of Hrodey's story here.