A local Madison male was arrested at Concrete Park after ripping locked bicycles apart and later struggling with police late Sunday night.

A Madison Police report said the suspect was yelling and, according to a witness, removed his pants in the frenzy. The suspect was approached by officers and immediately recognized as a 40-year-old downtown transient who goes by the street name of “Creature.”

Officers struggled with the suspect, who was then clad only in his underwear, finally getting him to comply after they used pepper spray.

According to the MPD report, officers have had similar encounters with Creature, whose real name is Scott T. Taylor, in which he resisted arrest and took part in disorderly conduct and destruction of property.

Bike parts that had been scattered in the area were returned to the racks and the suspect’s bags of clothing and personal effects were taken to the MPD property room to be stored for him.

The incident is one in a recent string of incidents at Concrete Park.

Ald. Bryon Eagon, District 8, said Concrete Park has seen more problems as the year has progressed

“We’ve seen an increase in problematic activity in the area in the last six months,” Eagon said. “We have been trying to be proactive to address it with regard to environmental factors [such as] police presence, people able to see at night, blind spots.”

MPD spokesperson Joel DeSpain said some of these problems involving persons without a permanent address have moved from Peace Park to Concrete Park due to construction and remodeling.

The city recently completed renovations of Peace Park, formerly an area NPAs frequented. Many individuals as well as some crime problems moved to Concrete Park from Peace Park while it was under renovation.

Peace Park opened this past weekend to a higher amount of civil activity but also a return of some of State Street’s transient population.

The presence of an ATM in the new park visitor’s center relocated many people to Concrete Park because of a city ordinance prohibiting panhandling within 50 feet of an ATM.

According to DeSpain, incidents involving “non-permanent address” residents, or NPAs, usually include fights among themselves and rarely involve others.

“Substance abuse and alcoholism are often involved,” DeSpain said, “But NPA’s are more often causing problems with one another, not with other people.”

MPD is taking active measures to prevent similar incidents by suggesting specific NPAs be listed as banned from State Street. According to DeSpain, this particular suspect is being considered for such a list due to his past encounters with police as well as with a number of other NPA subjects.

Eagon said the city is looking more into what can be done for the area to stop the trend of disorderly conduct and other related incidents.

Business owners and managers near Concrete Park have previously told The Badger Herald they have concerns about the apparent rise in crime in the area.

DeSpain said he has not noticed a spike in crime in the area.