Madison Police Lt. Dave McCaw discussed the Madison Police Department's recent crime prevention initiative and the Mifflin Street Block Party with Madison's Downtown Coordinating Committee Thursday.
McCaw talked about MPD's progress on Project 403, a plan ""meant to reduce the number of car break-ins and property crimes in this area,"" he said.
Every April, there is a spike in property crimes and car break-ins within Madison Police Department sector 403, the area of downtown bordered by Wisconsin Avenue, Gorham Street, University Avenue, and Lake Street. It is an area concentrated with large numbers of vehicles on streets, in parking lots and garages, according to the MPD.
McCaw said it is common to find cash lying on students' dashboards, along with GPS devices, laptops and other valuables. Because of this, MPD will be going around from car to car and placing ""lock it or lose it"" brochures under windshield wipers.
Police will also be speaking to incoming undergraduates at freshman programs and orientations.
However, McCaw said Project 403 is not only about the education but also about the extra patrol. Police will be in and out of uniform on bikes and on foot.
""We're trying to get away from having the beats and zones, and basically everybody is responsible who works central for everything central,"" McCaw said.
Also at the meeting, McCaw said he is optimistic about crime at this year's Mifflin Street Block Party.
""People who will come to this year's Mifflin and who came to last year's Mifflin are not the same people who came to Mifflin in 1996,"" McCaw said. ""They are more grown up and more based in reality than the problem children we've had in the past.""
McCaw said police department expenses will be significantly reduced because of the block party's 7 p.m. close and because there will be one stage instead of two.
