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Monona police describe response to Abundant Life shooting, expand officer wellness and training plans
Summary
Police chief told the Public Safety Committee Monona officers were among the first to enter Abundant Life Christian School, shared body‑worn video with Madison detectives, and described expanded mental-health support and training funded through a recent referendum; chief also discussed a new electric administrative vehicle and hiring updates.
Monona’s police chief told the Public Safety Committee on Jan. 22 that Monona officers were among the first to enter Abundant Life Christian School during the recent shooting incident and that the department provided body‑worn camera footage to Madison Police to support the investigation and after‑action review.
"They were first to assemble, the first to enter the school along with the Dane County deputy. They're the first to access the hallway. They're the first to, walk into the classroom, which this, the incident took place, the first to render aid to to these survivors," the chief said, describing officers’ actions and the emotional impact on first responders.
The chief said the department has switched police and fire to an employee-assistance program tailored to first responders and is coordinating with Madison for peer support and after-action work. "The number 1 cause of death for police officers in this country is suicide and suicide by their own firearm," he said while describing the department’s emphasis on mental-health resources for officers.
The chief described providing body-worn video to Madison command and detectives to help investigators and confirmed the city cooperated with mutual-aid requests to cover Monona while resources supported neighboring jurisdictions.
He also described training and equipment priorities supported by recent council funding: the city allocated $15,000 for department training that the chief said will allow a full day of training for every member of the department and enable specialized instructors and tactical work. He said the department will also take delivery of an all‑electric administrative vehicle and install a Level 2 charger when the vehicle reaches production; the chief described the electric Chevrolet Blazer administrative vehicle as offering "instant torque" and components designed for police specifications.
The chief also announced a recent hire: Officer Jared Bello, an experienced officer joining Monona via lateral transfer and currently in field training under an accelerated program.
Committee members praised department communications and emphasized continued support for training, wellness and equipment readiness.
