Following Gov. Scott Walker’s statement during a hoax phone call Wednesday that he considered placing instigators in with the crowd of Capitol protesters this week, city officials are asking for an explanation and justification.

Madison Police Department Chief Noble Wray and Mayor Dave Cieslewicz both said Walker’s statement was troubling on the surface and its potential implications need to be further explored.

“I would like to hear more of an explanation from Governor Walker as to what exactly was being considered, and to what degree it was discussed by his cabinet members,” Wray said in a statement. “I find it very unsettling and troubling that anyone would consider creating safety risks for our citizens and law enforecemnt officers.”

Wray said MPD has been working throughout the past several days to ensure its officers are doing everything possible to enable protesters on both sides of the issue to demonstrate safely.

Wray said he was concerned anyone would attempt to undermine the relationships established during the course of the protest.

“I have a responsibility to the community, and to the men and women of this department – who are working long hours protecting and serving this community – to find out more about what was being considered by state leaders,” Wray said.

Joel DeSpain, MPD spokesperson, said it was important to consider the initial statement came as part of a hoax call and urged Wisconsinites to tentatively take what was said with somewhat of a grain of salt.

DeSpain said the department is looking for the governor to provide some broader context to the remarks and is trying to give Walker the chance to further explain himself.

“We don’t know if this was something [Walker] considered strongly or if this was a passing comment, but we are hoping that any talk of adding an agitator into a crowd of peaceful protesters is something the governor would denounce, and that it is something that would not be tolerated,” DeSpain said.

DeSpain said the protests so far have been completely peaceful and MPD officers have been staffed only to maintain a safe environment where democracy can take place. He said though 120 officers were available on Saturday when a group of tea party protesters joined the scene, no arrests have been made outside the Capitol.

Cieslewicz said it was disturbing that Walker allegedly considered disrupting the protests. He said Walker’s statement was deeply troubling especially because of the way the governor followed up by “brushing it off.”

“The governor of Wisconsin actually thought about planting people in the crowds who might turn these peaceful protests into something ugly”? Cieslewicz asked in a statement. “For the governor of our state to suggest that he even considered disrupting these peaceful protests is a serious thing.”

Cieslewicz said he was unaware of whether an official investigation might pursue Walker’s actions because it was not yet clear whether there were any criminal issues to debate. He said he was not suggesting an investigation was needed, but said Walker needed to be “very clear” with Wisconsinites.

Cieslewciz said he continues to be very proud of Madison citizens and the half a million people he estimates have come through the city since the protests began. 

“We have not had a single arrest and the credit for that goes to our police officers, other police officers from around the state and the protesters themselves,” Cieslewicz said. “And that is the spirit of Wisconsin and that is they way we need to go.”