Hello South Madison-
I'm Lieutenant Tim Radke, and I am the new South District Detective Lieutenant. I've been with MPD for almost 22 years already, having worked in all corners of the city and at all hours of the day. I'm proud to have worked alongside many of MPD's finest during my career, including as a Patrol Officer and Sergeant, on Community Policing Teams, in the Criminal Intelligence Section, as the Officer in Charge, on the Special Events Team, within the office of Professional Standards and Internal Affairs, in the Forensic Services Unit, and as the Commander of MPD's Mounted Patrol Unit. I've had some extraordinary opportunities during my career, and it has been a privilege to work for this Department and in this City. I am looking forward to continuing to learn every day on the job, serve the community, and work alongside the fine individuals that call the South Police District home.
- South Stolen Autos and Theft from Autos – Like other areas of the City, the South District is not immune to Stolen Autos and Theft from Autos that continue to occur in Madison and nationwide. While it is difficult to completely eliminate any chance that your vehicle will be targeted, there are steps you can take to help prevent your vehicle from being stolen.
- Lock your doors! A surprising number of our stolen vehicles and thefts from vehicles occur to cars that are simply left unlocked.
- Remove plain view valuables from your car, including your garage door openers, spare keys, and anything else of value.
- If possible park your vehicle in a secure garage, or well-lit, highly visible area.
- Conspicuously-placed security cameras can be a deterrent for thefts, and they often also provide our best chance of identifying suspects.
- Close your garage door, and turn on your garage door lock on your wall control.
- Use an auto theft deterrent that is visible from the outside, such as a brightly colored or large steering wheel lock.
- A hidden GPS tracker or similar device in your vehicle could help with its recovery if it is stolen.
- Report all criminal and suspicious activity. Information from any report could help police identify suspects and possibly lead to arrests and recovery of stolen property.