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Interim police chief presents quarterly crime and operations update; department reports declines in several violent crime categories
Summary
Interim Chief John Patterson presented the Madison Police Department’s fourth quarter report, showing declines year‑to‑year in shots‑fired incidents and robberies, lower overdoses in the quarter, and ongoing work on use‑of‑force reviews, training and restorative justice referrals for juveniles.
Interim Chief John Patterson briefed the Common Council on the Madison Police Department’s fourth‑quarter 2024 report and related operational items during the Feb. 25 meeting.
Highlights from the presentation included declines in several measured categories: staff reported 35 shots‑fired incidents in the fourth quarter (down 5.4% from the prior quarter) and a 22.8% decrease in robberies from the third to the fourth quarter; the department also reported a year‑to‑year decline in total shots‑fired incidents.
Other operational notes: - Overdoses: reported overdoses involving heroin and fentanyl were down 5% from quarter to quarter and there were no overdose deaths reported in the fourth quarter, the chief said. - Burglaries and thefts: burglaries were down 12% quarter‑to‑quarter and down 36% year‑to‑year; stolen autos were up 23% from the prior quarter but were down 38% year‑to‑year. - Use of force and reviews: use‑of‑force incidents were reported (58 incidents in the quarter; 305 for the full year) and each incident is reviewed against policy and training. The full quarterly packet includes use‑of‑force breakdowns, training updates and promotion lists. - Restorative justice: the department continues restorative justice referrals for 12‑ to 16‑year‑olds in lieu of municipal citations; 17‑ to 25‑year‑olds are referred to the Dane County Community Restorative Court for eligible incidents, staff said. - Recruitment and staffing: a new academy class of about 30 officers graduated and hit the streets in February.
Council members asked about the pilot body‑worn camera program; Chief Patterson said the department filed its pilot report last fall and that further action depends on upcoming budget decisions regarding operating and capital funding.
Ending: Patterson asked council members for feedback on the new, shorter quarterly presentation format and said staff would continue to post full quarterly reports, policies and discipline outcomes to the department website.
