Common Council - Regular Meeting

the hour of 6:30. Having arrived, I will call to order the common council meeting of Tuesday, May 5th, 2026, and ask the clerk to please call the role. Thank you. Alder Ugar, here. Alder Gar is present. Alder Harrington McKenna is excused. Alden Kella here. Kella is present. Alder Lieberman here. Al Liberman is present. Alder Madison here. Alder Madison is present. Alder Martinez Rutherford present. Alder Martinez Rutherford is present. Alder Matthews here. Matthews is present. Alder mayor here. Mayor is present. Alder O'Brien here. O'Brien is present. Alder Ohich present. Alderovich is present. Alder Pritchette here. Al Pritchette is present. Alder Tishler is excused. Alder here. Alder is present. Alder Ver here. Alder Viver is present. Alder Jang here.

Alder Jang is present. Alder Duncan is excused. Alder Evers here. Alder Evers is here. Alder Field here. Alder Field is here. Alder Figer Olliger Figuro. Oh, I'm here. Alder Figer Cole is present. Alder Glenn here. Glenn is present. Madame Mayor,

thank you. And so this is the first meeting of this council in this room where you're actually going to be using the technology. Most of you know how to do this, but just in case, your little microphone has a little button on it. If you press the button, it shows up on my screen that you want to speak and I can call on you. You once your mic is on, you have the ability to turn it off. So, if I have turned your mic on and you want to keep speaking, don't press the button again. If you want to stop speaking and you're done, then you press the button. If you forget, I'll probably got I probably got you. Um, but just small orientation to technology. Um, reminder to address your remarks to the chair. Others are limited to speaking twice on a motion for a maximum of 10 minutes. Not that you should feel the need to do that. Uh, and if you have questions, uh, you can ask for a point of clarification or a point of order. Um, and we can pause and explain or detail a motion. If you get confused about where we are in the order of motions or anything, happy to help with that. And as usual, I will remind us that we are here to do the business of the people of the city of Madison and ask that we do that with grace and kindness. um and in particular that all concerned uh refrain from using any profanities in your remarks this evening. That said, are there any disclosures or recusals on items on tonight's agenda? Alderfield.

Thank you, Mayor. Disclosing that on item 51, I work at WMadison, but that will not affect my vote. Thank you, Alder. Are there any other disclosures and recusals? Alder Matthews? Um, I just wanted to disclose that I also work at WMadison, but that will not impact my vote. Thank you, Alder. Alder mayor, disclosing on item 51 that I work at W and it will not affect my vote. Thank you, Alder. Are there any other disclosures or recusals on items on tonight's agenda? Seeing none, then we will move to the presentation of the consent agenda. President Madison.

Uh, thank you, Mayor. A consent agenda is moved with the recommended action listed for each item on the agenda except items which have registrants wishing to speak, items which auditors have separated out for discussion debate purposes. This document lists supermajority items, agenda items with recommendations different from the agenda, items for exclusion, items from the floor, and agenda items with corrections. So agenda items that are supermajority items. Super majority items will be recorded as unanimous votes unless a roll call or exclusion is requested. Agenda item 16, legislative file 92928, report of the common council president submitting order committee appointments to the common council executive committee and ethics board. Business presented by the mis the president of the Madison common council 14 votes required to adopt under suspension of MGO 2.055. Agenda item 37, legislative file number 92782, 2026, board of assessors appointments, report of city assessor, 14 votes required to adopt. Uh, agenda item number 39, legislative file number 92397, approving a certified survey map of property owned by the Madison Metropolitan School District located at 7333 and 7341 West Townway, District 9. Report of Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development. 14 votes required. Agenda item number 40, legislative file number 92475, amending the police department's 2026 operating budget and authorizing the mayor and chief of police to accept a year 2025 US Department of Justice Edward Burn or Byron Memorial Justice Assistance Grant for $88,319 and to utilize these funds to support law enforcement initiatives. Report of

finance committee. Agenda item 42, legislative file number 92598, amending the 2026 police department operating budget and authorizing the mayor to accept a Wisconsin violence prevention program grant of $59,650 for an 8month gun violence reduction initiative to support those at risk. Report of finance committee. Agenda item 45, legislative file 92748, substitute amending the 2026 water utility capital budget to include $2 million of additional budget authority to the unit well 12 reconstruction project district 11 report of the finance committee. Agenda items with recommendations different from the agenda. Legislative file or agenda item three, legislative file number 92616, appeal of the plan commission action on a conditional use request for 555 Odana Road and 5534 Medical Circle. Legislator Legisar ID 915212 appeal withdrawn at request of the appellent. No action is needed by the common council. Flip over and agenda items excluded by one request of voters or two speakers registered by noon on today, May 5th. Number 40, or agenda item 40, legislative file number 92475, amending the police department's 2026 operating budget and authorizing the mayor and chief of police to accept a 2025 DOJ grant. um from the Edward Burn Memorial Justice Assistance Grant for $88,319 and to utilize these funds to support law enforcement initiatives report of the finance committee. Agenda item 42, legislative file number 92598,

amending the 2026 police department operating budget and authorizing the mayor to accept a Wisconsin violence prevention grant award of $59,650 for an 8-month gun violence reduction initiative to support those at risk. Report of the finance committee. Oh, common council president Madison. Items introduced from the floor. Legislative File 92971 authorizing the city to execute a field use agreement with the Madison Ultimate Frisbee League, use of certain athletic fields in city parks as set forth in the agreement and continue contributions to establish segregated non-reverting fund and a fee structure that supports the shared goals of supporting the use of the city's park space and providing quality maintenance of the city's athletic fields for the years of 2026 through 2020. Alder Glenn um goes to board of park commission on 513 2026 finance committee on 511 back to common council on 519 legislative file number 92996 amending section 28.1047 of the Madison general ordinances related to building site standards within the transit oriented development district to allow a different building footprint for stories above the first floor. Alder Fero Cole plan commissioning public hearing on 6126. Back to common council on 6926. There are no items with corrections. Thank you, President Madison. Are there any other items that members of the body would like to see excluded from the consent agenda at this time? Seeing none, then I'll just go over that quickly. Um, items 16, 37, and 39

require 14 votes. Item 45 requires 15 votes. The recommendation on item 3 is to withdraw. So, we will not take action on that item. Uh items 40 and 42 are excluded and both require 15 votes. We have two introductions from the floor and that is the consent agenda. President Madison, a motion, please. Motion to adopt. Second.

Moved and seconded to adopt the consent agenda. Is there any objection to recording a unanimous vote in favor of the consent agenda? Seeing no objection, um let me just explanatory comma. If you did object uh to the consent agenda in this room, you would ring in to make sure that I saw you cuz I tend to look at that in addition to looking at all of you. Okay. So, that will bring us then uh seeing no objection, unanimous vote will be recorded. Thank you. Uh that will bring us to public comment. We have uh one person wishing to speak on agenda item 40, which is amending the police department's 2026 operating budget and authorizing the mayor and chief to accept a US DOJ grant um and to utilize the funds to support law enforcement initiatives. On item 40, our registrant wishing to speak is Erica Bach of Middleton, Wisconsin. Do we have Erica?

Hello, Mayor. Can you hear me? Yes, please go ahead.

Thank you so much and thank you to all of you for being here tonight. Um, I am looking forward to hearing presentation from Madison Police Department to speak to items number 40 and 42. And a tremendous thank you to President and Alder Madison for pulling those as well. Um, this US DOJ grant is something that is annually uh applied for by the city of Madison and um in this case it also requires I believe anou that would be signed potentially also by Dne County. Um what I need you all to please take a look at is while $88,319 is just a drop in the bucket of an over $100 million budget. um it's not clear what law enforcement initiatives are. And so oftentimes this uh justice grant in the past has gone to um technology and does that mean something like what was just defeated at the county level like flock or surveillance systems? Um what does it mean in terms of what is going to be what are the provisions? And so, um, this also takes, uh, some precedence in item number 42 where, um, there's a discussion about gun violence reduction initiatives, which sounds great. I'm I'm not I'm not disagreeing with the fact that we need gun violence reduction. However, those funds are allocated to overtime. Um, it's it's to run a pilot program. So, I'm going to ask you all to really dig in a little bit deeper. And the same scrutiny, the same energy as the young people say, the same energy that you bring to the oversight of the police civilian oversight board or the same push that we have around funding for um pilot programs in other areas around the police. I'd like to ask you all um in good faith and with equity to apply that also when Madison Police Department continues to get rubber stamped or these um are passed through committee without maybe a slightly deeper understanding which again much gratitude that you'll be getting that hopefully tonight. Um it

essentially sends the message to MPD that they are going to get whatever they want and that they can do whatever they want. And um it's on on record that right now um MPD is not it's not trained to not kill. And so when you items 40 41 and 42 all give money to the police. Uh number 41 I didn't oppose because of course you need to have supplies at the the firing range. But the firing range is in fact training MPD on how to shoot. You have about 30 seconds left.

Thank you very much. So, my plea to you all is to take a a look at this and determine what exactly it is that you are approving monies for. Any extra money into the Madison Police Department is potentially money outside of Health and Human Services. Thank you all for your service. Please take a deeper look and I ask that you oppose items 4041 and 42. Thank you.

Thank you. Are there any questions for the registrant? Seeing none, then that is public comment for this evening and we will go to item 40. Elder Okovitz, did you waiting for you to get to questions for staff?

Okay. Thank you. You can be first for questions for staff. Uh item 40 is legisar 92475 amending the police department's 2026 operating budget and authorizing the mayor and chief to accept a US DOJ grant and to utilize the funds to support law enforcement initiatives. On item 40, President Madison, a motion, please. A motion to adopt. Moved and seconded to adopt. Questions for staff. Alder Okovitz.

Thank you, Mayor. Sorry for being early. Um, Captain Patterson, uh, so I see that one of the uses of this fund is for the strategic plan for MPD. Is that correct? Or for this grant, sorry.

Oh, that is correct. Roughly $54,000. And uh, thank you, Elder, for that. But it's it's not just for the uh, strategic plan. It's really meant for an update to our current strategic plan. And if you remember back in 2023, uh we utilize these same uh grant or the same grant funding source to complete the original plan. Um we're now over halfway through. And so this is really to try to re-engage with our community um and assess how far we've come with the original priorities. I think we can all agree a lot has changed in our community and across the nation. Um, and I I think it's time to take a look at priorities and just make sure that we're, you know, staying uh contemporary and uh in lock step with what our community would like us to focus on.

Okay. Um, and then the remainder of the contract or the grant is for the Madison Community Policing Foundation. Is that right as well?

Uh, no. It's it's to sustain seven more months of funding for our CPABs or our community police advisory boards. Um you may remember me talking to council a couple years ago about the advisory board we created in the south district which really became a model uh for replication in the other five districts. Um it's been funded for the last year and a half or so through a cops micro grant which is a different funding source. um that expires this month. And so the hope is to use the 23,500 uh approximately um dollars to to keep it going through the end of the year. These I think are a big priority for me as your new chief. I really want our district command staff to stay connected uh to residents that are served by their districts. Um, and this allows us to provide some small stipens to those who are are participants and uh provide some funding for a coordinator position to take uh that is outside of the police department. It's a it's a a position funded through that nonprofit um which helps us coordinate the meetings, coordinate the events, um take meeting minutes, all those uh you know busy type assignments that um can be challenging I think for some of our commanders to to undertake. So,

thank you, Chief. Thank you, Alder. Alder Madison. Uh, thank you, Mayor. When I pulled it, I was going to just ask for an overview overview, but I think the alder probably got most of why you applied for the grant out there, but is there anything anything else that you have not shared on why you applied for the grant? And does it um just going to the speaker's question or comment, will you are you interested in using any of this money for purchasing flot cameras?

Uh no. I thank you uh President Madison for that question. Um there's really little in terms of applications for this grant. This is a very rare um grant which becomes available to to most law enforcement agencies across the country and it's largely based on a formula on a community's population and their crime rate. Uh you know, a city our size with a higher crime rate would have a much higher award. I mean, um, our our award tends to be on the lower side in large part because we're doing well, uh, with our preventative efforts, but, um, there is a a component where I believe around 10% of the award must go to the county. And if you look back in, you know, previous years where we've come to you for approval on this grant, um, it's always gone, at least in my time, you know, my six years managing the budget, it's always gone to Dane County victim witness. And so we've just sustained that. Um, and so that's why that 10,820 is going to them. Um, but again, it's it's an announcement that uh we don't have to actually apply for. It's it's essentially here's the award that you qualify for and then we have to get an approved budget and obviously come to all of you for budget review or a review of whatever those law enforcement initiatives may be. Um, and it has to be approved by all of you as well since it's a budget amendment. Uh, I I have no interest in flock cameras as I've told all of you. Um, my technology priority is bodywn cameras and I'll be happy to continue to talk about all of all of those issues with you, but that is not um being talked about at all in this particular grant and any technology that involves surveillance. Obviously, we would navigate the surveillance ordinance that the city has on file.

Thank you. Thank you, Alder. other figure call. Well, the chief just answered that, but just to read just a question for attorney has um the we do have an ordinance in place for cameras. Does that include any cameras like the FL cameras within the council have to vote on something like that? Um thank you all. Are you referring to the surveillance? Yes. Yeah. So any cameras that are intended primarily to identify individuals are subject to the surveillance technology ordinance. Right? So that will come to council for approval is not something that the chief can unilateral make a decision about.

There are procedures. There's notification to alders and then there's a decision by council leadership as to whether it comes to the council. I believe. Thank you. Thank you. Alder Alder Pritchette. Questions?

Yes. Um, Captain, no. Chief, tell me, uh, are you using, um, data from the quarterly report or from the bianual report to determine what the initiatives are with respect to which areas will be targeted for some of the initi of the initiatives that you are proposing? Well, again, this is uh to re-engage with the um the company that helped us uh create our current strategic plan that we're using. Um it's the Matrix Group is a is a private uh company that um again guided us through a very comprehensive process to engage with our community um engage with the PCOB members uh engage with some of you all um and help us uh come up with that five-year plan um with our four major priority areas. Uh so it's the the initiative I guess that I'm proposing in this um is to to bring them back and uh assess the progress that we've made over the last three years but also re-engage with our community um and talk to them about uh their current priorities but also how we've done in in their view um with the previous priorities from three years ago. And really my goal is to then get us a refreshed so to speak strategic plan uh for the next five years moving forward. So that's the big law enforcement initiative uh that's being proposed tonight in addition to uh continuing the the advisory boards that I think a lot of you have have become familiar with over the last year. So would it be would it be fair to ask uh whether or not there are specific criteria that you'll be using to establish you know which initiative goes first, second or third.

Well, this this funding would fund all three of the u uh initiatives so to speak that are are proposed in the resolution. So, um the 54,000 is based on a uh projection that the the matrix group uh matrix group gave us uh to do everything I just said that we wanted to achieve. Uh and then the 23,500 is enough to get us through to January 2027 with our advisory boards and it'll buy us some time aler to to you know contemplate and brainstorm other funding sources for hopefully long-term sustainability. Uh and then the 10,800 is is based off the um the the rules of this particular award and the amount that we have to give to the county. Uh, and it's it's a reflection of that long-term partnership that we've had with uh, victim witness.

Thank you.

Thank you, Alder. Are there any other questions for staff on item 40? Seeing none, item 40 has been moved and seconded. Is there discussion? Seeing no discussion, item 40 has been moved and seconded. Is there any objection to recording unanimous vote in favor? Seeing no objection, we'll record a unanimous vote in favor. And go on to item 42. Item 42 is legisar 92598 amending the 2026 police department operating budget and authorizing the mayor to accept Wisconsin violence prevention program grant award for an 8-month gun violence reduction initiative to support those at risk on item 42 President Madison a motion please motion to adopt

second moved and seconded to adopt there questions for staff on item 42 President Madison. Thank you, Mayor. Uh, just as with 40, if you wouldn't mind just giving a brief overview of the item, Chief.

Absolutely. Thank you, President Madison. Um, so this this funding is different. This is coming through uh the state of Wisconsin. Um, if you remember, Governor Ivers created the Office of Violence Prevention last year, and I think um, you know, there were some challenges with releasing funds to local municipalities. Uh but this is from uh that funding through violence prevention funding through the state. Um and what we're proposing is essentially increasing our capacity. Um and really hopefully trying something that we have dabbled in in the past. Um and that I think is is worth the effort and worth the overtime uh investment to to evaluate and see if this is something that we should do uh with increased regularity. But um we're calling it essentially a deter and refer um type initiative. It's a partnership with public health. We collaborated with Dane County Public Health to actually uh come up with this concept and idea. Um and it'll be worked through our community safety intervention team or you've probably heard us refer to it as CESIT. Um where we will as a group uh coordinate what are known in um other communities as custom notifications. Um, and what they essentially are are like tailored in-person home visits um that may or may not follow an act of violence in the community. Um, it's um essentially meant to uh inform individuals who may become the next victim of retaliatory violence or who may be uh connected to um a homicide or attempted homicide, for example, that just occurred. and there there may be concern based on analysis of you know of the police department, public health and our sees partners um that they could be next for example. Um so it's it's really meant to serve I I don't know I hate to use this phrase

but it's like a wakeup call type visit not not like MTV scared straight or anything like that. I probably just carbon dated myself saying that reference, but uh it's to me to inform them and then offer them resources and try to connect them to resources uh and and hopefully prevent further acts of violence. Um again, we're going to try to bring in uh other partners like Middleton, Fitchburg, and Sun Prairie with this effort. Um and uh I I think it's it's got a lot of merit and I think it's worth um utilizing these funds. Now, it's uh again like the the caller said, it is for law enforcement overtime, but um it's to try to increase the capacity of our staff who are involved in these cases. We're investigating these cases and uh frankly don't have the time always to try new initiatives. This will just to be able to extend their their work time um and let us uh you know try a new prevention effort with our partners. Alder Lieberman.

Thank you. Uh Chief Patterson, I was wondering about how many overtime hours that 59,000 uh dollar grant would equate to and how many of these uh inhome visits you were hoping to uh or not hoping to but planning to uh conduct over this uh eight-month period.

Well, I should have I apologize Paul there. I don't remember the um the average overtime rate for a detective uh which is most likely um what I should use to answer that question but um it so I guess in short I would have to email you back approximately how many hours that would allow for um you know I think that our goal is to utilize this before the end of the year because then if we wait past 2026 we're not able to use the funds anymore. Um, so there is a there is a clock to it. So, uh, you know, certainly if there is an upswing or an uptick in in violent incidents, uh, we'll be very proactive and reactionary with these funds and expend them sooner probably than than the end of December. Uh but you know, knock on wood, if we keep trending in a in a positive way like we are now, um I I think we may try to spread them out throughout the year, uh and and maintain a more consistent uh effort. Um but at the end of this, uh you know, we will evaluate u the impact that we believe it had. Um talk with our partners, talk with members of CESIT and see if this isn't something that um should be more ingrained in our our routine of violence prevention.

Thank you so much. Thank you, Alder. Alder Pritchette.

So, Chief, suppose there's a community that's experiencing a high rate of gun violence and there are individuals within that community that is asking um uh their district police officer to allow them to provide some input regarding corrective measures. would uh this particular uh district be open to that in terms of coming up with a plan, an actionable plan. And I say that primarily because many victims in communities uh know who some of the shooters are, but then there is this disconnect between police and the community and many people know what's going on. How do you use that then in order to better integrate and get to the source of some of the problems that are there? Meaning developing a rapport, developing a trust such that if something is about to occur, they will feel free to come and ask for help.

No, I appreciate you asking that question, Alder. Thank you. Uh so again this this is a collaborative effort um with public health who are also in our neighborhoods and and working with um individuals and families and uh and others who are u at higher risk for victimization. Um it is also with uh members of CESIT who are community stakeholders and community members. Um, so we do have community voice that will be involved in this and certainly um it's it's not meant to be just the police department choosing who to who to go and visit. This is again a collaborative um team approach. Um, and you know, if done correctly, hopefully this really allows uh police officers or detectives who are involved to uh essentially make a warm handoff to um a partner, maybe it's public health, to connect them with things like housing, employment, education, referrals, what whatever the factor may be that uh could be impacting them and and uh increasing their their risk. You know, I I I ask primarily because you're you're you're on. You're on.

I ask because there are, you know, at the end of a shooting many times you'll hear some of those who have been affected by it. You start asking questions. What do we do? When is this going to stop? you know, it's those individuals that need to be targeted that we really need to get some kind of connection with and I think these are lost opportunities to better engage individuals who are experiencing this. You know the entire community is affected and if you have two or three people who asking those questions why not sit with them talk with them and ask what can we do I understand board of health mental health those kinds of things but at the same time they're asking for some relief and I think if we can engage them at that time we'll be we'll be in a much much better position to start drawing out those bad behavior people, but we can't do it if we don't engage. No, I I I completely agree with you, Alder, and I appreciate you saying that. And I and that is um a part of a lot of the overall uh efforts that we're we're doing as a team uh through through both CESID and our our work through the violence prevention unit of public health, through the the mayor's by-weekly violence prevention meetings, we're having those exact conversations and making those connections. So if it's not the police who are making the connection, maybe we're learning that information from public health or through the school district or through um you know other partners who are members of CESIT. Uh but this you know again this is a very small uh amount of

money to the to the caller's point. Um, and it's really meant to to surgically be used to to try this new initiative where we're um addressing specific individuals who may be at risk for, for example, retaliation. And so there's there's in my time with MPE, there's been a number of uh violent incidents which have then um had retaliation events or more violence right after them. Uh this is, you know, for our staff and and others through public health and CISA to really take a close look at how often has someone been a victim, how often have they been involved in gun violence or been a witness to gun violence in the last couple of years, for example. Um and then trying to um you know, make a very meaningful connection with them um in an effort to to deter those uh those incidents that we've all experienced in the past. But I I agree with all of your points. Um this overtime however is is focused more so on this uh this loan initiative.

Thank you. Thank you Alder Alder Jeang. Thank you. Um my question is is this grant to is there an existing strategy um and plan or are these funds going towards developing and then implementing?

Uh there there is a larger existing strategy and again um this is part of our collaboration ongoing collaboration with the violence prevention unit and uh the community safety intervention team. Um and this idea came um through that collaboration. Uh again we worked with public health to to bring this forward. Um and uh it's it's specifically meant to try something that a lot of us have had uh discussions about have attempted in the past. You know a decade ago when I was the lieutenant in in our investigative services section in charge of the violence prevention unit. We we did try these custom notifications but they take time to do well. um they they um you know sometimes are challenging to do especially in the midst of of a major um violent crime investigation. So uh it's really meant to complement um our our current violence prevention efforts and hopefully enhance them uh when acts of violence have occurred.

Thank you. Thank you, Alder Alder Evers.

Thank you, Mayor. And thank you, Chief, um, for being here and answering questions. And thank you for the work of MPD in addressing gun violence in our community. It seems like our numbers are down. The number of shootings, shots fired in the last 28 days from what I understand, are down. And, uh, knock on wood, we've had very few um, actual gun-related homicides this year compared to previous years. Couple questions. You mentioned uh retaliatory violence. Could you speak to the collaboration and cooperation that MPD has with one of those public health funded agencies focused interruption coalition? Seems to me that FIC works specifically on this issue of trying to minimize retaliatory violence.

No, absolutely. I appreciate you saying that and you're you're correct. uh alder our our incidents are are down fortunately still this year and uh you know I appreciate the credit you give to our officers. I think they're out there doing a really fine job and working very hard but it is it is truly a a reflection I think of the collaborative work too that um has been going on for for a long time and uh we've made some great um connections with with public health uh in the last couple of years. Certainly uh I think the the structured information sharing has just absolutely been critical to the overall success. Um but it's it's got to be nurtured and we've we got to continue to to push ourselves. Um and and I think things like this really I I think keep those doing the work energized, trying new ideas and um you know really trying to find new ways to connect meaningfully uh to individuals who may become victims of these crimes or may become involved in these crimes or may just you know be uh witnesses to them. Uh but to your your question with focused interruption, I mean we've had a decade plus relationship with that uh particular entity. Um and you know I I couldn't tell you the the number of times that we've worked uh very closely with them and collaboratively with them. Uh in in recent times now uh they've been very instrumental in their work at the hospitals. Um, you know, as a lot of you know, when an act of violence happens in the community of gun violence specifically, uh, there's a lot of people that rush to our hospitals, um, both that are directly connected to the victim and even those who are not, uh, and it becomes a location where retaliation could happen or, you know, further violence could happen. But it's also a a really critical place I think where um

this type of prevention also needs to immediately happen in the aftermath because you know as emotions are high as as people are processing the the tragic incident that you know just occurred uh they're making emotional decisions they're making you know quick decisions and uh that handoff at at the hospital specifically that that Fick has been uh helping with has just been has been incredible. important. Um, and then they are doing a lot of preventative work, Alder. Uh, you know, I commented to you a month or so ago. I went to just an amazing event where where firearms were being um, you know, traded in by community members and turned into garden tools. Uh, I know that's been going on for a little while, but it was the first time in my career that I've seen it and and it's it's impressive and I think it really helps shift uh the mindsets of of many in our community. So, thank you.

Well, thank you, Chief. And follow-up question, the caller uh made the statement that MPD officers are not trained not to kill. Could you address the issues of deescalation training within the department and maybe um speak also about uh um what is it called? uh the use of force continuum. So perhaps folks can understand that a little bit more about MPD's desire to uh to handle situations in a in in a nonviolent manner when all whenever possible.

Yeah. No, I appreciate that, Alder. Uh, so the the phrase shoot to kill is in my almost 30 years with MPD, I've never been trained that. I've only heard it uh you know on television or um read it somewhere or that type of thing. So we are we are not that's not how I've ever been trained. That's not how we train our officers. Uh the the use of deadly force is something that can only occur under extreme circumstances obviously. Um, and so, uh, while it's important and we're required by the state to stay proficient in our firearms, uh, and and that that has to happen to stay to keep certified police officers on your police department. Um, we spend an enormous amount of time around other ways to bring control to situations. And obviously, first and foremost, and and frankly, the most critical is is what we're doing now. we're talking uh you know um our verbal abilities are the most important tool I think that we have uh our ability to connect with individuals to explain what's occurring to listen to them meaningfully uh to relate to them to engage them that's that is incredibly important and I think um as we talk about procedural justice and what it means in policing to me that's exactly what it means and What I want our officers to always think about is uh you know on each and every call that they're going to how are they how are they engaging with this person? How are they relating with the person that they're serving? Um how are they listening to them like truly listening to them and how are they explaining not just you know what's occurring but what may occur next. Uh what has perhaps occurred in the past. I mean, that's to me that's uh critical critical critical information and abilities that all of our officers have to constantly evaluate

and and try to improve from one call to the next. Uh but starting in our our pre-ervice academy, um every police officer in the state of Wisconsin is required to go through 720 hours of training. And so a lot of our curriculum is guided by the state uh to get our officers from, you know, what whatever point in life that they're coming to us from uh to then certifiable in the state of Wisconsin as an officer. And and that includes deescalation training, that includes use of force training um from, you know, the lowest levels of force all the way up to, of course, deadly force like was referenced in uh the caller's comments. But um we take our pre-ervice academy, we tailor it for the Madison police officer and it's added to so our academy experience is is roughly over a thousand hours. So we add um certain um important concepts like cultural competency training. Uh that can also include important elements of professional communications. Um when I talked about procedural justice, it can also include deescalation. Um, we add a lot of scenario-based training where officers are placed in live scenarios with actors. Um, and you know, it's like a they can be at times a choose your own adventure type book. You know, if you remember those uh where if the officer does not do well enough in their professional communications, it may go a different direction or it could be set to go on a, you know, a direction where there has to be physical force, but if the officer does a better job, then it it deescalates. So, um, all of those then scenarios are are involved with debriefings and, um, uh, with instructors evaluations, and it's really meant to be, um, an adult learning experience where, um, you know, we're able to to talk through mistakes, talk

through what we're um, being taught and and uh, improving as um, as we go. Um, so that I'm kind of rambling now maybe, Elder, but hopefully that that addresses some of your Oh, that's very helpful. Thank you, Chief. Thank you, Elder Alder Madison.

Thank you, Mayor. I just wanted to ask more of a probably a reporting question on the grants. So, are you um like how are you tracking success? I guess what does a successful grant look like for both? It's I'm sorry I should have asked for both but I guess for the second for 42 what what would success look like with this grant?

Well that's a good question. So uh we're obviously going to track the number of custom notifications that we perform. Um, I think we'll we'll look at um you know uh how uh the individuals that we notified um did both uh in their connections with our community and connections with violence uh prevention unit um uh and and whether or not they became um re-engaged with acts of violence or re-engaged with uh I guess concerning um you know type behavior. around gun violence. Uh but again, this is this is meant and and I'm sure you've heard people from public health say this as well, but preventative work is often very hard to measure.

Yeah. uh what doesn't occur it's hard to evaluate but um I think we'll you know really look uh at this qualitatively to see too um have we been able to connect some of these people who are at higher risk with some important uh needs that may have previously been unmet as well. And so we're hoping that uh this will also improve our ability to hand uh give a warm handoff so to speak to our violence prevention counterparts where they have the ability to connect to you know housing and employment and um education resources that that exist in the community. Uh but we will keep good statistics but as far as the the prevention piece goes that's that's always a challenge on how to measure.

Thanks. Thank you Elder Alder Glenn. Thank you. Thank you, mayor. Um, I was just going to uh kind of connect a question that uh Alder Evers had of folks interruption sits on CES set, correct? And is part of that whole group. That's that's right. I failed to mention that. Thank you for saying that, Alder. Appreciate it. You're welcome. Um, do you know everybody that's on that group? I mean, because I think it's a really great if everyone I don't know if everyone in the group knows who's on the group. I can help you if you need help. I would love your your help.

Um it is I believe Fitchburg police, some Prairie Police, Madison Police, newly added I believe Stoen is coming, but then it is focus interruption, youth justice from Dne County Human Services, uh public health, violence intervention and prevention. Um I think it's

school district. school district and I think that's it. Multiple players from each of those organizations too. So when you what what I liked about this was that the grant was written around CESIT because it brings in the eyes of multiple people doing the work rather than um just one which we know then that's those silos and we don't know what everyone's doing. So um I just wanted to bring that up. Thanks. Thank you. Thank you, Alder. Alder Pitchett questions. Yes, thank you. I want to pick

uh Alder Ever said about deescalation and use of force along with the statement that you made regarding uh the state mandated mandated curriculum. Now does the curriculum include um not only the psychological kinds of things that happen but the physiological aspects. What happens you know when one is beginning to act on something? Are there things included in the curriculum that deals with let's say your heart rate, your breathing increases, all of this is part and parcel of deescalation or escalation. So if if that is not included in the curriculum, then how are we in a position to say that absent looking at the physiological aspects that what we're doing is going to yield the results that we're looking for. We have to look at both.

Alder, I'm going to stop you. I I allowed a little bit down this road of of deescalation because of the nature of the public comment, but what's before us is a grant which is not about deescalation. Um I I am going to suggest to council leadership that it would probably be useful for this council to get a presentation from the violence prevention unit. um because there's clearly a lot of there's clearly still a lot of questions about their work. Um and and although I'll suggest specifically to you that a conversation with the chief about that curriculum would probably be useful because I think you're making a good point, it's just not on the grant.

Thank you. Thank you, Alder. Uh all right, Alder Madison, is it a question? It was just okay. So, we're still on questions for staff. Are there any additional questions for staff on item 42? Seeing none, item 42 has been moved and seconded. Is there discussion on item 42? Alder Madison. Thank you, Mayor. Seeing the great discussion around this item, I did note uh to schedule a presentation that would include a discussion between MPD violence prevention and the partner agencies.

So, thank you Elder. Is there any further discussion on item 42?

Seeing none, item 42 has been moved and seconded. Is there any objection to recording unanimous vote in favor? Seeing no objection, we'll record that unanimous vote in favor. Thank you, Chief, for answering questions. Um, that will bring us to the end of our agenda. Are there any further introductions of items from the floor? Seeing none, are there any announcements? Alder Figuro. Thank you. Um, so this week is Madison Housing Week. So, if you guys don't know what that is, which I learned today that some of you don't know what that is, um you can go to the website called madisonousingweek.com and get um you'll find their schedule there. So, this whole week from Sunday to Friday um each day they had either one or two activities to talk about housing from different aspects of the on the conversation and it's sponsored by ARP. So, if you haven't if you didn't make any of the um past events, you still have time to do so. Tomorrow there's an event on Thursday and on Friday there's two events. Some of them are online and some of them are in person. So, I highly highly recommend that you guys take a look. Uh this is our third year and it's super exciting to see so many perspectives and so much so many things that we should be doing or can be doing or other people are doing on regard to housing. Thank you. Madisonousingweek.com. Thank you, Alder. Alder Okovitz.

Yeah, just to add on to Alder Figura Cole's, I believe some of the events have free tacos. Is that That was today. You missed it. That was today. I think there's free. Okay. I think there's free food at some of the events. Thank you, Alder. Are there any other announcements? Seeing no other announcements, Alder Garrett, it's your turn. Move adjournment. Is there a second? moved and seconded to adjurnn. Is there any objection to recording unanimous vote in favor of adjournment? Seeing no objection, we stand. Adjourned. Have a good evening.