The Madison Police Department has responded swiftly to a recent increase in robberies and muggings in downtown Madison by devoting additional officers to patrol the area.
Robberies on the street have increased from August to September, according to the Central Police District newsletter. The muggings have usually involved purse-snatching or armed robbery. Attacks range from one suspect assaulting a victim to groups of two or three men assaulting a potential victim. Numerous attacks were reported to have occurred at gunpoint.
Similarities between the incidents have caused police to suspect the crimes might be related, according to Mary Schauf, Central District captain of the Madison police.
\Whether it be suspect description or mode of attack, it has led us to believe that these attacks are related,"" she said. ""We are seeing patterns.""
The most recent incident occurred Tuesday, Sept. 27. Police say Terrence Buchanan was arrested after allegedly assaulting a woman on the 400 block of Dayton Street when attempting to steal her purse. Police spotted Buchanan and proceeded to catch up with him after a brief pursuit.
The increase in muggings in the downtown area has made the Madison Police divert resources to send additional forces to patrol downtown. The district's community police team, which usually handles special assignments, has been reassigned to help patrol the area.
Muggings are considered a ""high priority type crime,"" Schauf said. ""It is a matter of prioritizing.""
The diversion of officers within the Madison Police Department has caused concern. Madison Police Chief Noble Wray has made a request to Mayor Dave Cieslewicz for more officers.
Cieslewicz's new budget proposal includes an increase of six officers. However, maintaining the current 1.8 officers per 1,000 residents ratio will still be a concern, Schauf said.
Still, Cieslewicz's new budget comes as a relief in the face of President Bush's recent elimination of the Community Oriented Policing Services program, which gave federal funding to local police groups.
Schauf said to avoid being robbed, students should be aware of their surroundings. In a confrontation with a mugger, she advised students to put their safety first.
""A person's safety is more important than losing some property,"" she said.
If in the event of being robbed, Schauf recommended students to report the crime immediately and to provide police with an accurate description of what the thieves took.
