Community policing on the Northside

The term “community policing” is used throughout the nation, but what does it really mean? The Madison Police Department has been practicing community policing in various forms for the past 30 years. Community policing in Madison is not just an action, we like to think of it as a philosophy, a way of doing business.

Here is an example of what community policing looks like on the Northside. During the summer there was a noticeable increase in police calls for service at the McDonald’s on Dryden Drive. Incidents increased from seven in May to 22 in June to more than 30 in July. Most of the incidents involved youth disturbances, fights, thefts and damage to property. At least one incident involved a witness observing a gun being shown to several teens. Officers reported having several conflicts when asking some of the youth involved in disturbances to leave the property.

In a problem-solving effort, several Northside community stakeholders and the North Neighborhood Resource Team met to discuss solutions. During the discussions, one member of the team stepped up to make a difference. Haywood Simmons Jr. has facilitated Community/Police Listening Circles, led several Youth Police Initiatives, and provided youth programming this summer at the Warner Park Community Recreation Center. Haywood and several of his assistants began contacting youth in the Dryden Drive area each afternoon and evening for several weeks. He was able to make connections and offer services. In August calls for service dropped to eight incidents — a nearly 75% decrease from the previous month.

McDonald’s made a few changes to the facility that enhanced safety and security. It is a partnership between community members, city agencies, area businesses and residents working together to reduce conflict. We are extremely grateful to Haywood Simmons Jr. and his team for their presence on the Northside.

An earlier version of this article incorrectly attributed this column to former North District Police Captain Jay Lengfeld.