[media-credit name=’JEFF SCHORFHEIDE/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]Downtown Madison experienced a rise in violent crimes in 2006, Madison Police Department Cpt. Mary Schauf told downtown residents at a town hall-style meeting Tuesday night.

The meeting — which addressed crime in the downtown and campus area, and reported crime statistics from 2006 and 2007 — was part of Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and the MPD's Downtown Safety Initiative. The $100,000 initiative requires the MPD to meet with community members every other month to review crime statistics from the area.

According to data presented at the meeting by Cpt. Mary Schauf, 2006 saw an increase in batteries, robberies and sexual assaults in the downtown area — the types of crimes the Downtown Safety Initiative plans to prevent.

"One of the things that's very clear to us, there are a couple of things that are common denominators in sexual assaults we see, especially in our district," Schauf said. "Alcohol is extremely high as far as its level of involvement for both the suspect and the victim."

The data showed 379 burglaries reported in the downtown area in 2006.

Schauf attributed this high number to students who do not lock their doors consistently. She added downtown criminals thrive on knowing it is easy to break into student housing.

"The other part they thrive on is when they walk in and say 'Oh, I'm just looking for Johnny, does he live here?' and [the residents are] all women, that the women don't call us immediately," Schauf said. "That surprised me because it happens quite a bit."

Compared to January 2006, this past January also witnessed an increase in sexual assaults — up from 4 to 8 — and robberies — there was one more strong-armed robbery and one more armed robbery this past month compared to January 2006.

However, January 2007 did see a decrease in batteries — down from 36 to 25 — compared to January 2006.

The MPD is working on organizing their crime and alcohol-related data in a more mathematical way with the help of analyst Nicole DeMotto. Part of the Downtown Safety Initiative calls for a specific crackdown on the number of alcohol-related crimes, particularly at bar time.

In addition, the MPD also plans on using cameras to curb alcohol-related violence in areas that have historically been problematic between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m.

"I think that by late summer, we can actually have cameras be up that are functional," Lt. John Balles said at the meeting.

Although it will take a while to get all aspects of the safety initiative running, downtown alders said they could already feel the positive effects of the plan.

"But for that plan, we would not have this first downtown-wide police meeting," said Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, in an interview with The Badger Herald. "In the past we've only had those on a very special case-by-case basis where it's been for a particular neighborhood in the downtown, or it's been because of some horrific crime trend, for example."

City Council President Austin King, District 8, who attended the meeting, said he has also felt the positive effects of the new safety initiative in his district.

"The Langdon Street Watch, which now has money, is up and running, and we're seeing more overtime hours put in downtown, which are two really smart ways to impact that particular time between midnight and 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday night," King said.

Verveer admitted it might be difficult for people to see effects of the safety plan already on the streets.

"In terms of what, though, is most visible to downtown residents and visitors is a higher level of visible uniformed cops working downtown, that won't happen for at least another month if not two months," Verveer said.

Also in attendance at the meeting was District 8 aldermanic candidate Lauren Woods, mayoral candidate Ray Allen and Alcohol Policy Coordinator Joel Plant. The next downtown safety meeting, which will focus more on alcohol policy, will take place in April.