Not In Our Town’s new film Waking in Oak Creek documents the powerful community response to the hate crime killings at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin on August 5, 2012. After six Sikh worshippers were killed and Oak Creek Police Lieutenant Brian Murphy was shot 15 times by a white supremacist, the town leadership worked together to cultivate new bonds with the Sikh community and guide the community forward toward healing.
The film is a strong resource for internal trainings and/or community events addressing best practices for:
- accurately reporting, responding to, and preventing hate crimes;
- supporting victims; and
- strengthening relationships between different groups in the community – and between the community and law enforcement.
Through the Working Together for Safe, Inclusive Communities collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice community policing office, free DVDs of the film are available, together with supplemental resources, for internal trainings, workshops, and community screenings and discussions.
