History
Historically, criminal and nuisance-type activity was prevalent in the Lakeside neighborhood. This caused a strain on police and other services and often required a multiple-officer response to calls for service. We learned through examples from the Racine Police Department (RPD) and the creator of Community Oriented Policing (COP) houses, the late Chief Richard Polzin of RPD, that a properly operated COP house was designed to help reduce criminal activity and ordinance violations, bring in needed services, build public trust, and create opportunities. The goal was to improve the quality of life for our Lakeside residents and overall community.
Mount Pleasant sought to incorporate a COP House in our Lakeside neighborhood. The COP House was made possible through generous financial assistance from S.C. Johnson & Son, as well as other local entities. In 2014, the COP house was constructed in an empty lot at 2237 Mead Street. Police operations began from the COP house in 2015.
