Recent crimes in the downtown area have brought attention to some persistent crime issues that still bother neighborhoods throughout the city.

James Madison Park

Two recent alcohol-related crimes have affected the James Madison Park area on the east side of downtown, causing a series of some unusual circumstances for Madison cops.

According to a police report, a 50-year old Madison man was robbed July 2 in a particularly peculiar incident involving a bottle of brandy.

The report said a group of people he had been socializing with at James Madison Park turned on him and stole his wallet and a recently purchased bottle of brandy from him at knifepoint.

After dispatching a police dog, cops found two backpacks — one of which contained the stolen bottle of brandy. When the man was told the brandy would need to be used as evidence, he became upset and was eventually arrested for calling 911 to regain the brandy.

In a more recent incident, another report said an MPD officer was injured with a broken shoulder blade July 13 after a scuffle with an intoxicated person at the park.

The report said a father chaperoning his children on the play equipment at the park called police after he left the area because of another visibly intoxicated man’s vulgar behavior near his children.

When the officer arrived at the park, the 28-year-old Madison man allegedly resisted arrest and claimed he was a victim of police brutality. He later spit in the officer’s squad car and was booked on five charges including disorderly conduct.

MPD spokesperson Joel DeSpain said alcohol often contributes to problems at James Madison Park, which he said can sometimes be a difficult location since it is a major urban park.

“There’s frequently officers down there,” DeSpain said. “We’re certainly trying to set a tone where there’s a certain standard of civility that is acceptable in the park.”

Langdon Street

Home of most of the University of Wisconsin’s Greek system, Langdon Street has also been the scene of several minor robberies in the past weeks.

According to an MPD report, a 60-year-old woman had her purse stolen from her around midnight on the 600 block of Langdon. She chased the perpetrator and drew attention to herself immediately after, but was not able to receive help from anyone nearby.

Two other recent robberies have occurred in the Langdon area in the past weeks, including one in which an intoxicated 21-year-old awoke with cuts after presumably being injured by a pack of eight college-age males, a report said.

Ald. Bryon Eagon, District 8, said students, including incoming freshmen, should remain vigilant when out at night in the next year.

“Coming to campus it’s important to know best practices of staying safe and that often includes not walking alone at night and taking advantage of SAFE services,” Eagon said. “I don’t think students should be scared at all, but should know that incidents do happen and will happen.”