Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Traffic Enforcement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Madison police report surge in traffic stops, say crashes down 12% from last May; city to honor officers for violent-incident response
Summary
Madison Police Department reported nearly 800 traffic stops in May after launching a traffic enforcement plan on May 1 and said traffic crashes in May fell about 12% from last year; the department also said it will honor three officers at tomorrow’s city council meeting for actions in a recent violent incident.
Madison Police Chief Sean Scudder told the Board of Public Works and Safety on June 2 that the department implemented a citywide traffic enforcement plan on May 1 and carried out nearly 800 traffic stops in May.
Scudder said the department made almost 800 stops in May versus about 70 in April and that the city’s reported crashes for May were down 12 percent compared with May of the previous year. “So I think we're on our way,” he said, adding that his goal was a 15 to 20 percent reduction over May–July when he reviews three years of data.
Scudder said officers issued citations in an estimated 10 to 20 percent of stops and that most stops resulted in warnings. “That seems to be about the average,” he said. He emphasized visibility and public awareness as key goals rather than maximizing ticketing: “Just being visible and bringing awareness to situations, really goes a long way.”
Board members asked about specific enforcement priorities. Scudder said overweight-truck enforcement has dropped since Captain Stefan’s reassignment because the captain previously dedicated full days to semis; the department has discussed allocating more resources to weight-limit enforcement.
The chief also addressed local rules about off-road vehicles: “side by sides are not allowed on city streets unless it's a special event that gets permission from you guys,” he said. He encouraged drivers to follow state parking and traffic statutes and described ongoing engineering efforts—speed tables and three-way stops on Vaughn Drive—to reduce speeding.
Scudder said the department will expand public-service announcements with the city’s communications staff and that Captain Jackson is working with communications staff to target messages for seasonal risks.
Separately, Scudder said the city will honor three officers — one from the Madison Police Department and two from the sheriff’s department — at tomorrow night’s city council meeting for their response to a violent incident on the hilltop that resulted in one death. Scudder described the scene as dangerous and said officers entered an apartment, secured an armed suspect and likely saved three lives. He said the department will not release body-camera footage because the case remains pending.
The board did not take formal action on enforcement strategy at the meeting; members expressed support and asked that staff continue to monitor crash counts and enforcement impacts.
