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Greeks patrol for Langdon safety
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After successfully piloting a student neighborhood watch safety program last semester, University of Wisconsin students are once again hitting the streets and keeping an eye out for suspicious activity around Langdon Street.
The Langdon Street Neighborhood Watch program kicked off its spring season late Saturday night outside Gamma Phi Beta sorority with Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and Madison Police Chief Noble Wray.
Organizers from the UW Greek community and MPD Langdon Street police officer Tony Fiore launched their education program with a new website and yard signs.
"In the past, we've focused mainly on the neighborhood watch aspect," said Drew Willert, Pi Kappa Epsilon member and neighborhood watch organizer. "But after learning through [Promoting Awareness Victim Empowerment] and other organizations that a lot of sexual assaults are through acquaintances, we figured it'd be best to focus on the educational aspect."
Willert said the website, part of uwgreek.com, holds information for safety organizations as well as statistics on crime and abuse.
Yard signs will also be placed throughout the Langdon neighborhood bearing the slogan "One community, one goal: safety."
"We just want to continue that energy and momentum from fall," Fiore said. "The lawn posters are to make people pause while they are going to and from classes to think about [safety]."
In addition to the educational drive, the Watch will continue its groups of fraternity and sorority members roaming the streets on weekend late-night hours looking for serious crime and calling 911, according to Fiore.
Cieslewicz showed his support of the program Saturday where students are taking hold of their own safety.
"I think we have had unfortunately a few incidents involving the absence of eyes," Cieslewicz said. "I think this is a good way of sending a message that the community is concerned about it, and we're not going to tolerate it."
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, who also serves as a Dane County assistant district attorney and attended the event, said it was important to see support from city officials.
"The fact that they're here sends a signal from the highest ranks in City Hall that we recognize the amazing thing the students have put together with Tony Fiore," Verveer said. "This is a big deal."
With an increasing concern on campus with recent sexual assault cases and muggings, City Council President Austin King, District 8, said the city will be looking to expand the pilot program beyond the boundaries of Langdon Street after he and Verveer fought for the $100,000 Downtown Safety Initiative signed by Cieslewicz earlier this year.
UW Interim Associate Dean of Students Elton Crim, who was also at the event, said the Associated Students of Madison will continue its involvement with campus safety in conjunction with heightened efforts from Dean of Students Lori Berquam to step up safety programs.
"I wish we could get this kind of community action to proliferate throughout the campus," Crim said. "ASM is looking to develop initiatives in other neighborhoods."
After presenting crime data last week revealing a 16.5 percent increase in violent crime in 2006, Wray said overall crime is down in the city and in perspective is still much lower than figures from the early 1990s.
With students leading the charge on Langdon Street, Wray said it presents a great situation.
"I think it's so important because we can't have enough officers down here being on every corner — it's important for people to recognize their own safety," Wray said. "It is the essence of community policing."
Wray added the Watch program will lead to better communication between all parties involved.
"It's just the perfect partnership," Wray said. "It opens up the lines of communication, provides information on ways people can keep themselves safe."
Verveer said since the program began in the fall, he hasn't seen any high profile cases on Langdon Street on the weekends.
Despite the educational and proactive measures by the Langdon Street Watch and the MPD, Fiore said they still see students walking home alone on a regular basis.
"We encourage people to participate in the neighborhood watch, call SAFEwalk, hop in a cab or grab a bus," Fiore said. "Not everyone takes that advice, but we certainly offer it."
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“…said Drew Willert, Pi Kappa Epsilon member…”
That’s incorrect. Its actually Pi Kappa Alpha (PKA or Pike). Good article otherwise.
Let me get this straight. Austin King, Mike Verveer, the Mayor, Madison Police Chief Noble Wray, all show up to talk up the Langdon Street Watch and Lauren Woods opposes voluntary watch programs? ha.
Clearly, the Greeks are making positive contributions to the community…When was the last time Mifflin Street or the University-Gorham high rises did something nice like this? Oh wait…never
Nice work, Greek Community. This is an amazing program, and it’s too bad other neighborhoods (like the one I live in) aren’t more organized. Major props for taking the initiative to keep yourselves safe when the electeds have repeatedly failed.
Hopefully, when Eli Judge is elected alder, this program will go campus-wide.
A Non-Greek Student
I don’t know why we need Eli Judge - they already have flashlights.
Hey Dicks - Lauren Woods was there in support. What she has said is that she doesn’t think volunteer programs are sufficient even though they are good, and that the responsibility lies with the police. That’s why her focus is on “policing with a purpose” as she puts it.
Your attacks are far past desperate.
Wow. So a bunch of kids are walking up and down Langdon. Doesnt that happen all the time anyway during bar time and still people are assaulted. This wont deter anything. But way to give yourself props in all the comments, geeks, i mean greeks.
That’s it, this city has gone too far. We’ve outsourced our security to Greece, nice. I don’t trust their tzatziki, their baklava, or their mustachioed women.
10:36AM- that made no sense. there in support, but doesn’t think it works… right…
10:09— Flashlights are for dweebs.
And those greek sweatshirts are very intimidating, but you’d better not dare mess with anybody wearing a down vest.
To 10:36AM
Lauren Woods was there in support by looking totally impatient, unprofessional, and then left after her camera OP. That hardly sounds like support to me. Eli Judge actually stayed to help.
Sincerely, Everyone that was actually there
Lauren Woods would sit on her hands for two years before she’d do anything. She doesn’t support these programs; she’s publicly dismissed them before.
That’s why I’m voting Judge. He supports programs like this, and would do more to help us protect ourselves, while getting cops out of the bars.
He can walk circles around her on the safety issue.
Programs such as this cannot be criticized. We should be supporting these students for doing such a positive thing on campus. The Greeks participating don’t serve as a replacement, or even supplement to the police. They are there to promote campus safety, spread awareness about the problems students face and serve as a watchful eye for suspicious or unusual behavior. Shame on you if condemn a program that can only help improve the personal safety of our students on campus.
Instead of 911, which frat house do I call?
12:56pm,
Agreed
If anyone is interested, the website with information you can use to educate yourself about safety issues and find additional resources is www.uwgreek.com/safety
Lauren Woods is not against patrolling volunteers. However, she does oppose relying mostly on volunteerism to solve our safety issues (Eli’s plan.) That’s what police are for.
I heard this lady speak on WSUM’s Cipher Zone that Saturday night (which I’m guessing is why she couldn’t stay for the whole patrol.) She spoke passionately and knowledgeably about the problems that affect the student as well as the working class population in Section 8. There’s no doubt that Lauren and Eli are both great candidates and wonderful people, but Lauren’s passion and experience have completely won my vote.
Lauren allowing herself to be a puppet of hackery is only one of a multitude of reasons that I support the candidate who actually cares about those he will represent.
Go Eli! We’re with you, baby!
Austin King posting at 4:20.
How ironic.
Agreed, 4:20!
Okay Matt Berg
OMG 9:53pm TOTALLY Austin King, like, fo realz, and like, OMG, 5:49pm was totally Eli Judge, like LOL PWNED!