Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, along with Police Chief Noble Wray, outlined the details of a $100,000 funding proposal for the Downtown Safety Initiative to members of the police department and Madison citizens Tuesday.
""Downtown Madison has become an increasingly vibrant, exciting part of our city,"" said the mayor in a statement. ""With that increased activity, we have seen new public safety challenges emerge.""
According to a report by Cieslewicz, the Downtown Safety Initiative was designed to address three specific objectives in the downtown area. They included improving cooperation with police and alcohol-serving establishments, increasing community efforts and reducing crime before and after bar time.
One of the most problematic areas for police last year was street crime that took place when bars let out on Friday and Saturday nights. The plan aims to fix the problem by reducing street level crime when bar time ends downtown.
Another effort is to increase citizen involvement. This hopes to not only reduce crime, but calm citizens fear from crime throughout the Central District of Madison.
Of the $100,000 allotted to the plan, increased overtime for police officers, as well as other resources for the MPD like security cameras will be integral parts to the initiatives' success. City Council President and Ald. Austin King, District 8, said he thought, ""about 75 percent of the money is going towards overtime.""
Still, King acknowledged that the plan is meant to help out more than just the police department, but noted not much money is needed for neighborhood volunteer work. He said of the remaining 25 percent, nearly $5,000 would remain for community volunteer efforts.
That money would be put towards radios, armbands and other necessary equipment for community volunteers, according to King. Cieslewicz said the plan allows for the police and community to be involved and work together.
""This initiative [gives them] the tools they need to ensure that downtown remains an enjoyable and safe place,"" Cieslewicz said.
Wray has been working with the mayor and other members of police on the proposal. Along with the rest of the police department, he will be in charge of evaluating how effective and useful the plan is for the greater good of Madison. He said the goal of the initiative is to lessen the amount of violence that often occurs downtown.
""This plan will provide a framework for reducing alcohol-related violence in downtown Madison now and into the future,"" said Wray in a statement.
