Police Blotter

August 4, 2021 1:49 PM

We are currently accepting applications for our 2022 academy. If you would like to be considered for our next testing session, applications must be received by September 1, 2021. Instructions are provided on our website at: http://www.cityofmadison.com/police/jointeam/ [read more]

June 18, 2021 8:54 AM

Do you have a desire to serve your community through a rewarding career in law enforcement? Join recruiters from agencies throughout Dane County to talk about your future career! This outdoor event will take place at the Madison Area Technical College Protective Services Building parking lot … [read more]

January 1, 2021 11:06 AM

At the heart of police work is being privy to the stories of others. We are called in the small hours of the night, in snowstorms and torrential rain, on hot summer Sundays and holiday weekends. We answer those calls and listen to the trials and tragedies of others. I've always been drawn to … [read more]

December 27, 2020 9:58 AM

Linda Baehmann has always been a competitor. In her early life, she was a barrel racer. In college, she was a competitive rower. She has completed Ironman three times. Linda is one of a small cadre of women who competed for, and served on, the Madison Police SWAT team. As a bicycle enthusiast, … [read more]

December 20, 2020 9:28 AM

Officer Emily Samson has served with the MPD for almost twenty years. During her tenure, she has maintained the same discipline, determination, and compassion while performing her duties. “I have always done this with my heart and soul,” she says. “I am invested in this place, and being a police … [read more]

December 6, 2020 10:29 AM

Next year, Captain Jennifer Krueger Favour will celebrate thirty years with the MPD. Although her assignments have evolved through the years, her favorite part of the job remains the people. Currently the Captain of Training, Captain Krueger Favour's team instructed the historically large … [read more]

November 29, 2020 9:36 AM

Lindsey Ludden is a born-and-raised Madisonian, a Memorial High School grad whose roots run deep. She stepped away from her hometown to attend college at UW Eau Claire; after graduation, she applied and was hired into the 2006 MPD Police Academy. “Really, I only planned to work for Madison [PD]” … [read more]

November 15, 2020 8:57 AM

Kris Acker starts her workday before dawn. The soft-spoken Criminal Intake Unit (CIU) detective is in her 24th year with MPD, and an electronic pile of paperwork awaits her each day. Kris and her CIU team are tasked with reading every single MPD report in which a criminal charge is referred to … [read more]

November 1, 2020 9:29 AM

Five feet “and maybe half an inch” is how sensitive crimes detective Amelia Levett characterizes her height. The diminutive detective has heard every variation of short joke there is – and she revels in a good laugh at her own expense. Amelia recently achieved viral video fame, when a passerby … [read more]

October 18, 2020 10:02 AM

Officer Sarah Boespflug remembers the exact date she and her first canine partner, Falko, were paired – it was January 2nd, 2017, ten years into Sarah’s career with Madison PD. The duo hit it off immediately: “I think that dog laughed more than he was ever serious” Sarah reflects. She describes … [read more]

October 18, 2020 9:59 AM

It's 7pm on a Wednesday night, and K9 Officer Emily House is driving into work with her Malinois-Shepherd partner, Archie. They are 1 of 8 MPD canine teams, and the officer and dog train together, work together, and live together. Emily laughs wryly when asked about the duo's first success in the … [read more]

October 3, 2020 3:37 PM

It's a scene TV watchers are familiar with: a serious crime happens, the police tape goes up, and crime scene investigators come in. Here in Madison, Forensic Services Unit (FSU) investigators begin the painstaking work of identifying, preserving, and collecting evidence. FSU is small, and the … [read more]

September 20, 2020 9:51 AM

When asked about her interests, Crystal Pleasnick playfully replies, "I'm really not that interesting!" She proceeds to explain that when not taking care of her immediate family, she enjoys watching Svengoolie, old episodes of the Twilight Zone, or is engaged in other bits of nostalgic pop … [read more]

September 13, 2020 7:07 AM

The Ironman Wisconsin bike course features a hill that is invariably described with one word: infamous. "Barlow"features a grueling 4120 foot elevation gain, which cyclists climb over 1.9 miles. Theresa Magyera scaled Barlow while out on a weekend ride with friends, and had a lightbulb moment: … [read more]

September 6, 2020 10:59 AM

The women of MPD's pre-service Police Academy have finished rifle instruction for the day, and are walking purposefully toward cleaning stations. Baseball caps and buns bob side-by-side as the 18 women talk and laugh from behind an array of masks and face coverings. Amidst national conversations … [read more]

August 30, 2020 8:49 AM

Fabiola Ortiz has been with MPD for just over a year, the latest chapter of a life defined by high-intensity teams. A collegiate track and cross country athlete, Fabiola majored in psychology at the University of Dubuque. After graduation, she moved west, joining the world of wildland … [read more]

August 23, 2020 9:22 AM

Originally from Muskego, Wisconsin, Officer Jessica Wolf competed in collegiate freestyle swimming at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor where she studied sociology and psychology. Until her swim coach encouraged her to apply to the MPD, Jessica had never considered law enforcement as a career. It … [read more]

August 16, 2020 9:06 AM

Lorie Anderson has never been afraid of the road less traveled. The MPD Property Room Supervisor grew up barrel racing and traveling with the Americanos, a drum and bugle corps that took Lorie to Garden of the Gods, Disneyland, Monterey Bay, and the Vegas Strip. Lorie moved onto college at … [read more]

August 8, 2020 9:53 AM

Andrya Coutts (right) with her daughter in London On a 17-degree February day this year, Andrya Coutts sidled up to a hole cut through the ice atop frigid Lake Monona, and took a leap. It was no ordinary day, and Andrya was no ordinary participant in the annual Special Olympics fundraiser. … [read more]

August 2, 2020 8:31 AM

Neighborhood officer Alex Nieves Reyes is directing traffic while we talk. It’s a hot summer morning in June, and Alex’s trademark ability to hold a conversation while working nonstop is in full display. Alex’s remarkable story unfolds as traffic barriers go up and cars trickle by. Officer … [read more]

July 26, 2020 4:00 PM

Originally from Wisconsin Dells, Christel Boeck had a career in Arizona with the Phoenix Police Department for 21 years, where the majority of her tenure was spent in training. Upon retirement, she spent two years in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and five years in China. Currently, Christel is … [read more]

July 19, 2020 9:43 AM

Since February of 2000, Officer Dana Cummings has been putting on body armor, hopping in a squad car each workday, and driving to all the places in Madison that people call for help. "I've been in patrol my entire career" Dana says with her trademark cheer. Colleagues call the dynamic, … [read more]

July 12, 2020 7:36 AM

For Allied Neighborhood Police Officer Gracia Rodriguez, her culture and heritage have driven every career decision she has made. Born in Mexico and raised by a single mother in Rockford, Illinois, Gracia never intended to become a police officer. After majoring in Forensic Science at Loyola … [read more]

July 5, 2020 6:51 AM

Sgt Jen Hannah and her wife Gillian said “I do” and took a different walk than most newlyweds. After marrying on the steps of the NYC Public Library, they strolled to Grand Central Station, a wedding march to the beat of traffic, city noise, and people in a hurry. It’s an apt metaphor for Jen, a … [read more]

June 28, 2020 10:32 AM

Officer Cindy Thiesenhusen and her two older brothers grew up in Sun Prairie with a front-row seat to public service – Cindy’s mom was a missionary teacher who later taught at Madison College, and her father worked in social services. “They are my biggest influence” Cindy says of her … [read more]

June 21, 2020 10:08 AM

Upon stepping into the workspace of Samantha Schwartz, one cannot help but notice how colorfully decorated it is. Her Funko Pop! figures line her workspace in an impressive display. “I don’t know how many I have exactly,” she laughs. “But I can find out!” Samantha, who is in her seventh year … [read more]

June 14, 2020 9:50 AM

Officer Lyndsey Seewald was coaching basketball at Marian University when she received MPD’s annual recruitment letter, part of an ongoing initiative to find educated, talented individuals looking for the next step. She recalls setting it aside, thinking it was a great opportunity for some of the … [read more]

May 24, 2020 6:30 AM

Born and raised in Madison, Hannah Anderson has had her share of experiences providing service to the community. Currently a Mental Health Officer for the West Police District for MPD, Hannah had previously worked as a case manager for the Arc House in Madison for over two years, and served at … [read more]

May 17, 2020 10:50 AM

Growing up in a poor neighborhood in the northwest side of Milwaukee, Casey Amoroso saw how easy it is for youth to get consumed by street gangs and gun violence. As an only child, she spent a lot of time with three neighbor boys. "They were like brothers," she says. She speaks endearingly of … [read more]

May 10, 2020 10:13 AM

Sarah Henrickson prefers to know what to expect in her personal day-to-day life. Professionally, she welcomes the opposite. Regarding her favorite part of her job, she says, "No two days are alike. You walk in not having any idea what it is going to be." In August, it will be twenty years … [read more]

May 3, 2020 8:56 AM

Originally from Plattsburgh, New York, Sergeant Sarah Shimko smiles as she describes the close proximity of that community's elementary school, middle school, high school, and the state university – all of which she attended. "I was a homebody," she says, noting all the schools she attended, … [read more]

April 19, 2020 9:55 AM

It’s a Thursday in late winter, and Officer Lindsay Kamnetz finished her overnight patrol shift at 7AM. Most who work “graveyards” rush home to go to bed as close to dawn as possible; then again, most people aren’t Lindsay. She instead had an 8:00am academic advisement appointment, another step … [read more]

April 11, 2020 9:25 AM

During the Act 10 protests of 2011, crisis negotiator Justine Harris was called to the State Capitol for a man on a ledge, threatening to jump. In front of a sizeable crowd, she, fellow negotiator Julia Helbach, and Capitol Police joined efforts to convince the man to move to safety. "We had just … [read more]

April 5, 2020 12:31 PM

There is no job in the world that better prepares an officer for multitasking under pressure than parenthood. Officer Tieranie De la Rosa works the overnight shift on Madison’s north side, and spends her days with 9-month old twin girls at home. She is unflappable in the way only a mom of … [read more]

April 1, 2020 9:18 AM

It was 2008 and the MPD pre-service academy was in full swing. Recruit officers were learning critical skills about use of force and decision-making; one aspect of that training was scenario-based learning with physical contact. Then-Sergeant Mike Koval arranged to have the City of Madison's … [read more]

March 22, 2020 12:42 PM

In the first 5 minutes of sitting in Kelly Beckett's patrol lieutenant office, a veteran detective comes in to discuss an urgent warrant request. The detective is working a significant domestic violence case; the victim is hospitalized and the suspect fled from MPD officers the previous day … [read more]

March 15, 2020 10:36 AM

Sara Mejia had a more memorable interview than most job hunters when she applied to Madison PD’s accounting unit in the summer of 2019. It was July 19th, and Madison’s downtown was at a standstill as two MG&E utility stations blazed. Sara says she didn’t want to miss the opportunity to … [read more]

February 29, 2020 9:23 AM

Madison PD's Clare Gloede and Ashley Jackson saunter out into the East precinct lot on a cold January afternoon, and a passerby could be forgiven for thinking them twins. The sisters wear baseball caps and zip-ups, laced boots and ponytails. Clare, the younger of the duo, says "If we make eye … [read more]

February 15, 2020 9:23 AM

Taya flashes a sly grin as she looks at her sister Chanda and explains that it is not common for people to know which one is the younger sister. They both take playful jabs at each other while at the MPD Training Center. “The first time either of us ever got punched in the face was not while we … [read more]

February 1, 2020 7:56 AM

Whether downtown at the MPD Central Station, at the theater watching a scary movie, or rocking it out at a heavy metal concert, Lieutenant Diane Nachtigal and Sergeant Trish Drury are sisters who have a strong bond in work and play. Today, they chat over a cup of Colectivo coffee in Madison’s … [read more]

January 1, 2020 12:29 PM

Madison PD has a quiet, ponytailed secret. We employ one of the highest percentages of female officers in the country. The US Department of Justice reports that in local American police departments, female officers make up 12% of the workforce. As of December 2019, MPD's female officer workforce … [read more]