Milwaukee County DA: More Young Police Officers, Public Servants Will Help Crime Problem

Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm will speak at a seminar Wednesday with the hope of recruiting more young people for jobs in public service. 

"You need people that are willing and able, and really committed to serving other people," Chisholm said.

Certain areas of Milwaukee have severe problems with poverty, crime and drug addiction, Chisholm said. The way he wants to fix that? More help.

"The way that problems are resolved is to ask for help, whether it's from police or emergency medical services."

Chisholm says convincing people to commit to a career like this is tough – partly because of limited pay, but more so because of rising national tension directed toward police officers and public officials.

"You see that tension play out, particularly for the people who are committed to serving," Chisholm said. "Oftentimes [those people] are so extended, and it leads to a level of burnout." 

But, despite the career field's challenges, Chisholm says a life serving the public is "spiritually" fulfilling - and that's what makes it worth it.

"If you want to  see that your job each and every day is helping people, people that desperately need that help, there’s no better way than to engage, at least for a portion of your life, in public service.”

Wednesday's seminar starts at 1 p.m. at the Milwaukee Area Technical College's West Allis Campus (Room 117). It ends at 3 p.m.