Mayor Dave Cieslewicz's recently unveiled executive budget for 2007 proves he is committed to protecting the city of Madison and the students on this campus.
After a slew of muggings, robberies, assaults and sexual assaults rocked UW-Madison during the summer months and into the start of the fall semester, alarms were raised and plans coordinated.
After originally requesting four new officers last year, the City Council added eight this year to keep up with population growth.
The mayor's proposed budget for 2007 goes even further by adding 10 new officers. It also includes funds to fully equip new squad cars and upgrade seven police officers to detectives to help investigate and solve the crime that has plagued Madison thus far.
More important, however, are the proposals that will directly affect the UW-Madison campus.
A $100,000 Downtown Safety Initiative will focus on unique issues for the downtown area. This effort to prevent future assaults and robberies in the downtown area is absolutely vital.
By working with downtown ""stakeholders,"" Police Chief Noble Wray will determine how the money can best be spent. Increasing visibility is the best place to start since dark streets and alleys breed crime.
Anyone who has ever been in the Langdon Street area at night can tell you that the streets are very poorly lit. After another mugging outside MacTaggart's, 230 W. Lakelawn Place, nearly two weeks ago, Madison Police Public Information Officer Mike Hanson said the city hoped to increase lighting on these streets in order to help prevent future crime.
Luckily, progress has already been made. The Madison Police Department has already gone downtown to find these problem areas, coordinating with the Streets Department to trim trees and replace burnt out bulbs. Hopefully additional lighting will go up soon as well.
The proposed budget gives $1,050,000 to the MPD for next year and we feel it is money well spent. Increasing lighting on poorly lit streets, adding officers to the police force and designing an initiative which specifically combats downtown crime are all signs Cieslewicz is committed to keeping Madison safe and we commend him for his efforts.
