MPD's Mission Statement and Core Values guide us as we serve the public:
Mission Statement
We, the members of the Madison Police Department, are committed to providing high quality police services that are accessible to all members of the community. We believe in the dignity of all people and respect individual and constitutional rights in fulfilling this mission.
Core Values
- Integrity
- Human Dignity
- Service
- Community Partnership
- Proficiency & Continuous Improvement
- Diversity
- Leadership
Herman Goldstein was a UW Law School professor, scholar and real visionary in the field of policing. I was fortunate to study under him when I attended law school, and we stayed in touch over the years (Herman passed away earlier this year). When asked about a particular issue in policing, Herman was fond of saying, "Well, there are the police...and there are the police." This was his way of highlighting the localized nature of policing in the United States. There are around 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the U.S., and they vary significantly. The quality and type of service a police department provides depends on a number of factors: culture, philosophy, training, hiring, policy, transparency, professionalism, etc. Individual police departments vary widely in all of these factors. While many of the conversations taking place now about policing view the profession as a monolithic entity, individual agencies are quite different, and I think it is important to highlight some things that make MPD different.
The men and women of MPD are highly qualified and committed to public service. More than 90% of our sworn employees have college degrees, and about 16% have graduate degrees. We often hire candidates with significant life experience who are changing careers. MPD officers include former teachers, social workers, coaches, crisis workers and case managers. It's also important that a police department reflects the community it serves. Diversity is one of MPD's core values, and the department has been recognized nationally for our diverse workforce. About 21% of MPD commissioned personnel are people of color, and 28% are female.
MPD is committed to transparency. We proactively share a great deal of information with the public on a regular basis. Examples include: arrest data, crime data, use-of-force data, standard operating procedures, complaint/discipline information, traffic stop data, employee demographic information, community survey results, and incident data.
Community policing is integrated into everything MPD does as an agency. For decades, MPD has deployed neighborhood officers to our challenged neighborhoods to solve problems and build relationships. Community policing teams (CPTs) and the Community Outreach and Resource Education (CORE) unit are fully engaged in efforts to build trust and respond to community concerns. MPD's Mental Health Unit embeds civilian mental health crisis workers with mental health officers to improve outcomes (a nationally recognized model).
MPD has put forth a number of efforts to reduce reliance on the criminal justice system and seek better outcomes. Examples include the Madison Addiction Recovery Initiative (diverting certain low-level offenders into drug treatment without an arrest) and the Community Restorative Court (utilizing restorative justice as an alternative to traditional arrest/prosecution outcomes).
The department is committed to de-escalation and using force appropriately. MPD has a full-time use-of-force coordinator who reviews use of force incidents and looks for ways to improve training and policy. Use of force information is released quarterly, and MPD voluntarily provides use-of-force information to the FBI database.
Is MPD perfect? Of course not...no organization is. MPD is committed to continuous improvement; it is one of our core values. In recent years – particularly since the release of the OIR Report in 2017 – the department has implemented a number of changes to improve the way in which we deliver service to the community. We released an update showing our progress on the OIR Report recommendations in 2018:
https://www.cityofmadison.com/police/documents/OIRresponseUpdate2018-11.pdf
I will be providing an additional update to the common council next month. We have made extensive progress in responding to recommendations from the OIR Report and Ad Hoc Committee Report, and have also implemented a number of improvements not specified in either report (like releasing an annual Accountability Report). MPD will continue to strive to provide the best possible service to the public.
The men and women of MPD are dedicated to serving the public and making Madison a better place for all. My focus as Acting Chief will be to hire the best people who are called to serve the community for the right reasons, to ensure that MPD operates in a manner consistent with our core values and mission statement, and that our organizational culture be one centered on service, justice and fairness.
The information provided below about some of the calls officers responded to (Friday morning to Monday morning) is derived from notes provided by MPD Officers-In-Charge (OIC) at the end of their shifts. Most narratives represent early and preliminary information that was gathered by an OIC from those in the field who were actively working cases. The OIC is sharing what they were being told, in the moment. In many instances, facts and circumstances, even the type of crime listed, can change as officers, detectives and investigators continue their work.
From 6:00 a.m. on 06/26/2020 through 6:00 a.m. on 06/29/2020, MPD received 1,062 calls for service. This number does not include parking complaints or 911 misdials. A breakdown of the calls for service per district is as follows: Central (161), East (197), Midtown (168), North (164), South (126), West (147), and Other (99). "Other" is used for calls that either do not have a sector or the sector is not in the City. This would be used in the case of one of our officers assisting another law enforcement agency.
06/26
- Priority calls only from 8:18 a.m. to 8:14 p.m. due to calls for service.
EAST: Death Investigation – 4:22 p.m. Staff at a group home discovered a subject deceased in his room. Nothing suspicious. Medical examiner on scene.
CENTRAL: Disorderly Conduct – 4:30 p.m. Officers in the 400 block of State St made contact with an intoxicated suspect (31-year-old male) who had kicked over a porta potty. The suspect was arrested for disorderly conduct and bail jumping.
EAST: Stolen Auto – 7:16 p.m. The victim reported three unidentified suspects approached her while she was at a gas station and demanded she give them her car keys. She complied and the suspects left the scene in her vehicle. The vehicle was listed as stolen and an ATL was aired.
NORTH: Death Investigation – 8:14 p.m. The family members of a subject (74-year-old male) requested that officers check his welfare. Officers found the subject deceased at his residence. Nothing suspicious on scene. Medical examiner responded.
MIDTOWN: Information – 8:28 p.m. Officers received a report of possible sexual assault of a child. Investigation continuing.
WEST: Disturbance – 10:49 p.m. Officers responded to an apartment building where two suspects (22- and 28-year-old females) threatened to fight with two subjects over an ongoing dispute. Officers made contact with the involved parties. No charges were substantiated at this time.
WEST: Check Property – 11:01 p.m. Dispatch received a call about a group of people gathered in the 7500 block of Westward Way. Officers checked the area and did not locate any signs of a disturbance.
06/27
- Priority calls only from 1:30 p.m. to 4:17 p.m. due to calls for service.
NORTH: Weapons Offense Shots Fired – 12:23 a.m. Officers were dispatched to a residence in the 3700 block of Hanover St after it was struck by gunfire. Officers made contact with the victims and found two bullets that entered the residence. Officers located an additional 5 shell casings outside the residence. The attack likely stems from an ongoing feud. Investigation continuing. Incident report completed on MPD website.
WEST: Domestic Disturbance – 12:36 a.m. The victim reported the suspect (50-year-old male), who is the father of her child, forced his way into her residence, punched her and tore a necklace from her neck. Officers developed probable cause to arrest the suspect, who remains at large, for robbery, criminal damage to property, disorderly conduct, battery and trespass to dwelling, all domestic related.
MIDTOWN: Intoxicated Person – 2:09 a.m. Callers to dispatch reported the suspect (37-year-old male) was passed out near the intersection of W Washington Ave and Regent St. The suspect was uncooperative with Madison Fire paramedics who arrived on scene with MPD officers, and was arrested for disorderly conduct and resisting.
EAST: Death Investigation – 8:20 a.m. Family members found the subject (95-year-old male) deceased in his residence. Nothing suspicious on scene.
CENTRAL: Disturbance – 8:28 a.m. Two suspects (23- and 24-year-old males) engaged in a physical altercation at the Beacon, 615 E Washington Ave. A victim attempted to intervene and was struck in the head by one of the suspects. The 24-year-old suspect was cited for disorderly conduct. The 24-year-old suspect was arrested and charged with battery and disorderly conduct.
EAST: Weapons Offense Shots Fired – 1:05 p.m. Multiple callers reported hearing gunshots on Dixon St south of Milwaukee St. Responding officers located shell casings and a damaged vehicle in the area. Investigation continuing.
EAST: Battery – 5:35 p.m. Officers responded to N. Stoughton Rd/Commercial Avenue where a suspect (30-year-old male) was observed striking a victim several times in a vehicle. The subjects were contacted and probable cause was developed to arrest/charge the suspect with battery.
CENTRAL: Battery – 5:44 p.m. Officers responded to a residence where two victims reported being physically assaulted by an unknown male suspect. The suspect punched both victims, stole a backpack and a cell phone before fleeing. Suspect remains at-large. Investigation continuing.
NORTH: Disturbance – 8:14 p.m. Officers responded to Warner Park Community Recreation Center for a suspect (47-year-old male) causing a disturbance. The suspect was armed with a box cutter. The suspect was arrested/charged with disorderly conduct while armed and bail jumping (2 counts).
SOUTH: Domestic Disturbance – 9:53 p.m. Officers responded to a residence for a disturbance between two subjects (female victim and 68-year-old male suspect). Probable cause was developed and the suspect was arrested/charged with domestic disorderly conduct.
06/28
- Priority calls only from 6:14 a.m. to 8:57 p.m. due to calls for service.
CENTRAL: Intoxicated Driver – 4:02 a.m. Officers responded to W. Gilman St for a vehicle crash (driver struck a parked vehicle). The driver/suspect (29-year-old male) was located passed out in the vehicle. The suspect was conveyed to a local hospital. The suspect was subsequently arrested/charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence (2nd offense).
CENTRAL: Sexual Assault – 5:22 a.m. Officers met with a victim who reported being sexually assaulted by an acquaintance. Investigation continuing.
SOUTH: Weapons Offense – 8:09 a.m. Officers responded to Traceway Drive/Post Rd for a report of shots fired. A vehicle sustained damage from the gunfire. No reported injuries. A few casings recovered from the area. Subjects contacted/interviewed. Investigation continuing.
CENTRAL: Death Investigation – 10:42 a.m. Officers responded to a residence for a report of a deceased subject (84-year-old female). The decedent had multiple health issues. Nothing suspicious observed. Medical Examiner's office notified.
WEST: Child Abuse – 4:55 p.m. Officers responded to a residence for a report of child abuse. The suspect (43-year-old male) was arrested for physical abuse to a child.
NORTH: Traffic Incident – 5:22 p.m. Officers observed a vehicle driving on its rim on E. Washington Ave. A traffic stop was attempted but the driver/suspect (56-year-old male) fled. The vehicle came to a stop and the suspect fled on foot. The suspect was apprehended. The vehicle was confirmed to be stolen. The suspect was charged with operating a motor vehicle without consent, possession of drug paraphernalia and an outstanding warrant.
NORTH: Sexual Assault – 5:25 p.m. Officers responded to a disturbance between two subjects. One of the subjects made a comment about being sexually assaulted by the other subject a week prior. Limited information provided at this time. No charges substantiated at this time. Investigation continuing.
06/29
WEST: Domestic Disturbance – 12:15 a.m. Officers responded to a residence for a disturbance between two subjects (female victim and 31-year-old male suspect). The suspect struck the victim with a baseball bat. The suspect fled in the victim's vehicle before police arrived. Probable cause developed to arrest/charge the suspect once he is located. Investigation continuing.
CENTRAL: Battery – 12:31 a.m. A victim was walking on S. Patterson/Williamson St when he reported being physically assaulted by several unknown male suspects. The victim was knocked unconscious and when he came to discovered that his gun that had been on him was missing. The victim was conveyed to a local hospital for treatment to his injuries (which required stitches). Investigation continuing.
CENTRAL: Drug Incident – 12:33 a.m. Officers responded to a residence after several subjects, who were trying various drugs, had a bad reaction. One of the subjects armed themselves with a knife at one point. Two subjects were conveyed to a local hospital for evaluations. Investigation continuing.
WEST: Stolen Vehicle – 3:17 a.m. Officers responded to a residence for a report of a stolen vehicle. A handgun was also reported missing. Attempt to locate aired. The vehicle and gun were listed as stolen in the appropriate databases. Investigation continuing.