Building Trust and Legitimacy between the Madison Police Department and the Community
A U.S. Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) microgrant initiative
In Spring 2023, in collaboration with the Madison Police Department (MPD), community leaders, and nonprofit organizations, the Madison Community Policing Foundation began recruiting individuals to serve on Community Policing Advisory Boards (CPABs) in each of Madison’s six police districts. We were seeking a total of 30 Advisors (5 per district) to:
share residents’ concerns, questions, and ideas as they advise district Captains on community issues
amplify voices that have traditionally gone unheard
promote trust and legitimacy between MPD and the community.
Introducing Madison’s Community Policing Advisory Boards
Selecting Advisors
The creation of CPABs is a key part of a community policing grant awarded to MPD by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services and supported by the Madison Community Policing Foundation. (Learn more about Advisor recruitment on our website and in the news.)
We were thrilled to have more than 80 community members apply, and we worked with MPD to select Advisors, aiming to achieve a 75% non-white membership, one of the goals of the federal grant and one that we are proud to have met. The 30 Advisors selected represent a group of individuals with:
diverse backgrounds with deep knowledge of and strong ties to the Madison police district they live or work in and the people and places in it
experience with or exposure to life challenges such as housing or food insecurity, mental health issues, addiction, single parenthood, unemployment, and other challenges
a desire to help create a lasting process for continued, productive conversations between community members and police
a commitment to making Madison safer for all
Starting in July 2023, all six Community Policing Advisory Boards have been meeting monthly with their District Captains, Lieutenants, and Neighborhood Officers, to discuss issues of community safety and how community policing is helping to address them.
Monthly Meetings
In July 2023, Advisors were introduced to the concept of community policing and learned about the background of the federal grant and the 2017 pilot project on Madison’s South Side that laid the groundwork for this expansion. In August, District Captains gave Advisors a primer on Problem-Oriented Policing and Stratified Policing and led the Advisors on the tour of the district offices. In September, discussions zeroed in on district focus areas that have resulted in a disproportionate number of calls for service, and Advisors began planning their first community events, such as the West District’s “Brunch for Peace” at Tree Lane Apartments, a gathering focused on preventing gun violence. All CPABs came together for a citywide October meeting at the Madison Police Department’s Training Center to meet one another and hear a presentation from MPD Chief Shon Barnes on the department’s 2023-2028 Strategic Plan. Through November and December, CPABs have been organizing, attending, and learning from various meetings and events around Madison, and looking toward 2024 as they plan continued community outreach and engagement opportunities.
“Through my role as a Community Policing Advisory Board member, I've witnessed the powerful transformation that occurs when we bridge the gap between policing and our commUNITY. Together, we are fostering understanding, trust, and positive change – one event at a time.”
East Advisor LaTrease Hibbler
“This is an opportunity for me to share thoughts, strategies, and connections with others to brainstorm how we can best support policing and trust within specifically low-income, marginalized communities.”
North Advisor Khara Leonard
“My favorite thing I’ve seen come out of the Advisory Board is how the community is open to telling us how things can be better and trusting us to be the ones to help with that.”
West Advisor Courtney Carlson
Meet our six Community Policing Advisory Boards
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West District
Our West District Community Policing Advisory Board, under the leadership of Madison Police Department West District Captain Kelly Beckett, is comprised of Advisors who live or work in the West District, which covers the far West side of Madison and includes Elver Park, West Towne Mall, and University Ridge Golf Course.
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Midtown District
Our Midtown District Community Policing Advisory Board, working with Madison Police Department Midtown District Captain Jason Freedman, is comprised of Advisors who live or work in the Midtown District, which covers the near West side and includes parts of the UW campus, Camp Randall, West High School, Memorial High School, Edgewood College and High School, Marshall Park, Odana Golf Course and Henry Vilas Zoo.
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Central District
Our Central District Community Policing Advisory Board, advising Madison Police Department Captain Michael Hanson, is made up of individuals who live or work in the Central District, which covers the isthmus area of Madison and includes the Capital, State and Local government, State St, Kohl Center, Langdon St, and parts of the UW campus.
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South District
Our South District Community Policing Advisory Board, advising Madison Police Department Captain Harrison Zanders, is made up of individuals who live or work in the South District, which covers the South side of Madison and includes Madison College south, Penn Park, Alliant Energy Center, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, and UW Arboretum.
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East District
Our East District Community Policing Advisory Board, advising Madison Police Department Captain Ed Marshall, is made up of individuals who live or work in the East District, which covers the Southeast side of Madison and includes the Yahara Hills Golf course, Olbrich Botanical Gardens, East Towne Mall and Lafollette High School.
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North District
Our North District Community Policing Advisory Board, under the leadership of Madison Police Department North Captain Jamar Gary, is made up of individuals who live or work in the North District, which covers the Northeast side of Madison and includes Madison College, Warner Park, East High School, and the Dane County Airport.
Recent Advisor Attendance at Community Events
In addition to their monthly meetings with Madison Police Department District Captains and the community-building events they have been organizing and attending, Advisors have been busy getting out in the community to talk with residents about safety issues and more. Some examples are below.
February 9, 2024
Representing the Community Policing Advisory Boards, the CPAB Project Coordinator presented an update to the Midtown district Coffee with a Cop organizers and answered questions about CPAB make-up, activities, and needs.
February 1, 2024
MCPF, and the work of the Community Policing Advisory Boards, were proud to be recognized at a press conference by Madison Police Department Chief Shon Barnes in his State of Public Safety remarks, and to be a part of the City of Madison, Wisconsin Government's holistic approach to community safety and violence prevention.
November 1, 2023
East Advisor Amee Lapke collaborated with the residents and management at the Meadowlands Apartments, as well as the North Star neighborhood association, to organize a diaper/clothing/supply/food drive for residents. Donations were welcomed at the East district station, including arts and craft and school supplies, toiletries, feminine hygiene products, and baby necessities.
October 18, 2023
East Advisors attend a meeting hosted by the North Star Neighborhood Association (NSNA) at Twisted Grounds to discuss recent gun violence at the Meadowlands and Harmony Apartments.
South Advisors present at “Fall Into an Evening with SPD" at the Urban League of Greater Madison, along with Amigos en Azul and the Black Officer Coalition, discussing how they work in partnership with the community to build trust and legitimacy.
September 15, 2023
West Advisor Eugene Crisler, through his work with the Urban League’s Fatherhood Group, hosts a monthly Youth Gaming Night. Other West Advisors attend, as well as Officer Scott Bekfield and SMAC (Southwest Madison Action Coalition). Financial support from MCPF also helped bring together this night of fun, entertainment, and resources, focused on relationship building while giving youth a space to engage with others in the world of gaming.
August 31, 2023
East Advisors attend International Overdose Awareness Day, put on by Safe Communities Madison-Dane County, Momentum In Recovery, the African American Opioid Coalition, MCPF, and MPD. The event featured a vendor fair with local resources such as naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and medication lock boxes. Speakers shared updates on how the opioid crisis is being addressed in Dane County and across the state.
August 30, 2023
East Advisors attend the Community Meeting at Pinney Library to discuss Meadowlands Apartments (6834 Milwaukee St.), a focus area of the East Police District. The meeting aimed to address persistent violence and other nuisances at Meadowlands. Speakers included representatives from the development team, the Madison Police Department, local organizations and District 16 Alder Jael Currie, City Council president.
August 26, 2023
South and West Advisors attend Luna’s Block Party, hosted by Luna's Grocery Store, a community grocery story. Luna’s ended the Allied Drive area's decade-long status as a food desert when it opened in 2019, hosted its fourth annual block party, bringing together community members, MPD, food trucks featuring dishes from around the world, and stands from local artists and chefs. It was held in Luna’s parking lot in the Allied Dunn’s Marsh neighborhood on the Southwest Side as it prepares to open a second location at the Village on Park mall on Madison’s South Side.
August 26, 2023
West Advisor Eugene Crisler, through his work with the Urban League of Greater Madison’s Fatherhood Program, helps organize Westfest at Elver Park, a fun-filled, intergenerational summer festival celebrating the diversity of Madison’s southwest side, aiming to build community pride with the collaboration and support of partner agencies such as Madison Police Department’s West District. Westfest was hosted in partnership with the Elver Park Neighborhood Center and representatives from local neighborhood associations.
August 20, 2023
Midtown Advisors meet and eat with recent immigrants and refugees at the First Responders Picnic at Christ Presbyterian Church, along with Jewish Social Services, MPD, and other area first responders.
August 3, 2023
Central Advisors attended events at Orton Park (hosted by Community Walk) and Peace Park (hosted by the Madison Central Business Improvement District) for National Night Out.
August 3, 2023
West Advisors attended National Night Out at Meadowood Park (hosted by Meadowood Health Partnership) to promote partnerships between officers and those they serve.
August 3, 2023
South Advisors built relationships on National Night Out, visiting events at Penn Park (hosted by Goodman Library) and the Bridge-Lakepoint-Waunona Neighborhood Center (hosted by Bridge-Lakepoint-Waunona Neighborhood Association).
August 3, 2023
East Advisors represented their Community Policing Advisory Board at National Night Out events including the Salvation Army (hosted by Darbor-Worthington Neighborhood Association), Meadowlands Apartments, and Parks Alive at Owl Creek Park, building stronger neighborhoods and connecting communities to their East MPD district.
August 3, 2023
Midtown Advisors attended National Night Out at Luna’s Market (hosted by Miriam and Joe Maldonado) as well as Westmorland Park (hosted by Midvale Heights Community Association), promoting partnerships between officers and those they serve.