WITI-TV, MILWAUKEE -
In the middle of the day, students are supposed to be in school. But truancy officers in Milwaukee are hot on the trail of those kids skipping class.
Officers Jim Thelen and Paul Zientek are in the Milwaukee Police Department's TABS program. TABS stands for truancy abatement, burglary suppression. There are two full-time TABS patrols in the city of Milwaukee, one on the south side and one on the north side.
"The number one thing we tell them is if you don't go to school and get an education, there's nothing out here for you - you're either going to end up in prison, or you're going to end up dead," said Officer Zientek.
If the officers find a student who's out of class, that student can end up with a ticket and a ride to the TABS center at the Boys and Girls Club. That's where they meet with counselors as well as their parents or guardians.
Milwaukee police say with the TABS program, they pick up an average of 20 students a day. By doing so, the officers hope they're preventing crimes too.
Officers Jim Thelen and Paul Zientek are in the Milwaukee Police Department's TABS program. TABS stands for truancy abatement, burglary suppression. There are two full-time TABS patrols in the city of Milwaukee, one on the south side and one on the north side.
"The number one thing we tell them is if you don't go to school and get an education, there's nothing out here for you - you're either going to end up in prison, or you're going to end up dead," said Officer Zientek.
If the officers find a student who's out of class, that student can end up with a ticket and a ride to the TABS center at the Boys and Girls Club. That's where they meet with counselors as well as their parents or guardians.
Milwaukee police say with the TABS program, they pick up an average of 20 students a day. By doing so, the officers hope they're preventing crimes too.
Digg
Twitter
Facebook
StumbleUpon
