We approach them in a very low profile, non confrontational way, Oscar Perez said. Our message to students is simply to interact with one another in a positive manner.

Walking down the street on a weekend night, dont be surprised if a member of the community, a student and a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee police officer approach you to talk. Youre not in trouble.

Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night since Easter, UWM Police Neighborhood Liaison Oscar Perez has gathered a small group of neighbors and students to talk to whoever is outside between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m.

We approach them in a very low profile, non-confrontational way, Perez said. Our message to students is simply to interact with one another in a positive manner.

He also said he hopes it will bridge the gap between residents by their communicating.

At the beginning of the night the group jumps into an unused BOSS van with a neighborhood relations magnetic sign on the outside. Then throughout the night they stop and park when they see people outside they can talk to.

Kyle Swetzig, a UWM senior, went out with Perez one of the nights and said, I think its great.

Swetzig is chairing a committee though the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, where they send out members on the weekend to ride with Oscar.

Students are going to have fun, however you need to educate students about it, Swetzig said.

When Swetzig went out, he said about 85 percent of the people were students and almost everyone cooperated. Only 10 percent of so were so annihilated they couldnt talk to them.

While there is a UWM police officer with the group, Swetzig said he is only there for security not to hand out drinking tickets. He said the only time he knows the police were called was when people in the van witnessed a drunken driver speeding down the road.

At the same time the university is walking around promoting their neighborhood relations plan, there are also extra police out on the street. Tom Luljak, vice chancellor of University Relations and Communications, said UWM pays the city to hire extra police to patrol the area around campus for the first and last six weekends of the year. This is the fourth year for the program.

In the past when Milwaukee police are called to investigate a complaint, the challenge was to find if there is an officer available, Luljak said.

Through the extra staffing, residents will be guaranteed that a police officer will come if they hear a complaint.

While the program costs the university about $30,000 a year, Luljak said, We thought it would be useful to provide a guarantee.

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