Madison Police Department staff and other community leaders hosted their very first Public Safety Summit on July 23 at the Warner Park Community Center, and several CPAB Advisors were in attendance.

The goal: to understand current safety trends in Madison and the strategies the community is using to prevent crime.

Panelists, including representatives from the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, Public Health Madison & Dane County, and Focused Interruption Coalition discussed opportunities for collaboration to enhance safety in Madison.

How do west siders and the West Madison Police Department district beat the heat? With explosions of ice cream flavors, colorful volcanoes, and water balloons, that's how! 😎🍧🌋 Yesterday evening, families at Uno Terrace Apartments, West PD officers, and West Community Policing Advisory Board members enjoyed a memorable evening of science, scoops, splash games, and handfuls of books for summer reading.

At the May 28 and 29 East and West districts’ CPAB meetings, Advisors heard presentations on the Madison Police Department’s Mental Health Unit (MHU). Discussed were the history of the MHU, training that police officers receive on mental health and how they respond to calls, individuals’ safety plans, and how MHOs and embedded crisis workers help prevent many would-be emergencies that patrol officers would otherwise need to respond to.

On May 22, 30 Community Policing Advisory Board members were awarded "Community Member Assistance" Citations by Madison Police Department Chief Shon Barnes for their work over the last 11 months helping to build trust and legitimacy between police and the community.

GAME DAY! 🎲♟🧩🏆 This afternoon Madison Police Department's West District came out in full force to game with kids and families at Uno Terrace Apartments on students' day off from school. Thanks to CORE Officer Scott Beckfield for laying the groundwork and setting a strong foundation for continued friendship and fun. Thanks to all the residents who came out and to West's Community Policing Advisory Board members for making such a memorable afternoon possible. Here's to many more!

The West District's Community Policing Advisory Board began collaborating with West CORE Officer Scott Beckfield, who recently started working weekly with youth at the newly opened Uno Terrace Apartments, an affordable housing complex on Mineral Point Rd., with the intention of building relationships and trust with families and children who live there. Advisors are joining on the days they are available to get to know the families as well, and help facilitate relationship-building between community members and police.

The November 4 "Brunch for Peace," organized by our West MPD District's Community Policing Advisory Board at Tree Lane Apartments, brought together residents, the Madison Police Department, numerous community organizations, and several key community leaders for a morning of relationship building and conversation.

On October 19, all six of Madison Police Department's Community Policing Advisory Boards met for the first time under the same roof. MPD Chief Shon Barnes outlined MPD's 5-year strategic plan, emphasizing the need for community partnerships. “We are taking our first step at becoming a national model for exceptional policing through this commitment to forming effective community partnerships,” Chief Barnes said.

National Night Out, held the first week in August throughout Madison and the U.S., is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships. Several of our Community Policing Advisory Board members came out to meet and talk with residents about neighborhood safety, gathering ideas, feedback, and new friends!