The Police Advisory Board held its first meeting Monday, drawing police officers, Associated Students of Madison members and UW students.
The board is designed to foster participation within the community and dialogue between the community and the police. It will also serve as a liaison between law enforcement and other organizations, such as Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment.
“[The goal is] to get as many ideas and opinions from as many people as possible,” ASM intern Micah Shields said. “We are holding this forum for you, the members of our community who want to take a part in local law enforcement and improve our community.”
Speakers at the meeting included Shields, ASM Project Intern Coordinator Dan Donaghue, who came up with the idea for the board, Angela Rose, president of WI NOW, founder of PAVE and ASM Women’s Issues Liaison, Madison Police Department Captain John Davenport and MPD Lieutenant Stephanie Bradley-Wilson and Captain Dale Burke of the UW Police Department.
Donaghue said the ever-growing need for community involvement is the reason for creating the board.
Donaghue said the board?s vision is community-driven law enforcement.
“Today’s situation with the police isn’t always a pretty one. You hear it in music all the time, and on TV, everywhere,” he said. “The interesting thing is that for all the criticism you hear, nobody really makes suggestions about how to improve things. Empty rhetoric doesn’t get anything done.”
Rose spoke about her experience as a victim of sexual assault, and the threat it poses and said the board will help to prevent sexual assault.
“This violent crime continues to plague our society,” Rose said. “I’m so excited about this liaison committee, because it?s a great way to unite efforts and ideas in ? preventing sexual violence.”
Committee members said the board is a product of both anger and optimism — anger that nothing has been done until now, and optimism that change can be affected.
Police also expressed enthusiasm about the committee.
“We like to think we’re progressive and that we do this for the community,” Davenport said. “That’s the main reason we were really excited when [Donaghue] set up an appointment with me to come and talk. One of the things we talked about was how could we reach out to the student population in our district. We really don’t have a direct link to you.”
Campus police were equally enthusiastic about the board, Burke said.
“[The campus police] were very excited when [Donaghue] approached us,” Burke said. “We have been heavily involved in problem-oriented policing for a little over 10 years now.”
