That may explain in part why ticket writing has fallen sharply in the last half-year for some violations but continues at high levels for others.
Officers see the logic in nipping nuisance behavior before it escalates.
They've seen it work, and say that properly applied it can continue to work. But they definitely see growing resistance in some neighborhoods to repeat ticketing for traffic and other minor offenses. Some worry that the poor are wrongly bearing the brunt of enforcement. The Journal Sentinel sampled the opinions of dozens of officers from various police districts and shifts. Because most were not authorized to speak to the media, they spoke on condition that their names be withheld.