MPD job shadow program sends officer to barbershop

MADISON, Wis. -- The second set of participants in the Madison Proximity Project brought an officer to a barbershop on the city’s near east side.

Officer Tieranie De la Rosa spent last Wednesday job-shadowing Terry Moss, the owner of Atwood Barbershop.

The shop is a local hangout. It’s the type of place where employees have their clients' go-to cuts memorized and time spent in the hair chair is for catching up, not providing direction.

“Everyone knows everyone here. They’re comfortable with one another,” Officer De la Rosa said.

Moss is an east side native who has owned the shop for 14 years. He said it began as a passion and flowed from there.

“I just really enjoy it, the people” Moss said. 

He has family in law enforcement and wanted to learn more about our department through the Madison Proximity Project. The program pairs a Madison resident with an officer. The officer shadows this person at their place of employment, and, in return, that person participates in a ride-along with the officer.

Officer De la Rosa also used her time at the barbershop to connect with customers. She recalls some were surprised when they learned she was an MPD officer.

“This was a really unique opportunity. I loved meeting so many new people,” De la Rosa said. “We had lot of open, honest and hard conversations.”

There are six pairings in the inaugural round. The co-learning experiences will take place throughout the month of January.  Then all the participants will meet over a meal in February to share their takeaways.

Anyone interested in participating in future rounds of the project can email Madison Police Department's Community Engagement Specialist Alex Ricketts at aricketts@cityofmadison.com.