News

Reporting line crashes from overload

During Halloween-weekend havoc, the Madison Police Department’s self-reporting line went unanswered due to a system overload.

The numerous amounts of calls sent into 911 were diverted to the self-reporting line, and after receiving 100 calls, the system exceeded its limit and shut down, according to a police release. Calls made after the system failure were not received and processed.

According to Lt. Carl Strasburg of the MPD, the self-reporting line is a helpful tool for police officers. It allows students to call in damage or reports where there are no suspects and damage is under $1,000.

After the victim makes the self-report call, a report is sent to their address, which the citizen fills out and sends back to the police department. The police are then able to process the report into the system.

“This process frees up officers to handle larger disturbances,” Strasburg said. “During Halloween weekend, this line can help control the streets.”

According to Strasburg, the self-reporting line overload is “extremely rare.”

“The biggest effect of the overload is the frustration for citizens calling the number and not being able to get through,” Strasburg said. “We don’t like that, because we’re here to help the citizens and we want to provide help.”

Strasburg added the system failure did not affect the police control of Halloween events because those calls were for smaller disturbances while the larger concerns were focused on State Street.

The system failure was a problem because it did not allow officers to begin reports on smaller crime in the city during the Halloween weekend, he added.

“It could have been a lot worse, and in general we are pleased there were no significant injuries to officers or citizens,” Strasburg said.

Of the 450 arrests made over the weekend, only 59 were University of Wisconsin students. The majority of these crimes were alcohol-related, with 182 underage drinking and 172 open-container citations.

The police department is now working to get citizens to call back and self-report crimes, since the line is now operational. The number of the service is 245-3662.