I told you this was long, be patient. In this post, we have people calling the police when people are singing or dropping the F-bomb! Imagine if we called the police every time someone got in an argument in the city-county building or dropped the F-bomb! Part one is here. Part three will talk about the trespassing and emails to all city staff. The part about the banning alcohol in the building is here.
QUEST FOR JOE MCARTHY’S LIST
During the meeting, Sally Miley from the mayor’s office held up a huge wad of papers (about 50 pages) of police calls to the city county building. So, I thought, I need to see that to know what they are talking about. Here’s what an open records request and $12.25 will get you. 49 pages with one complaint on it each in very large font. There was some info in there that probably should have been redacted (phone numbers) – so I’m not providing the source documents. But this is what I found.
JULY
7/5/11 – 7:16pm Dave from CCB Maintenance called – At the MLK entrance, would like assistance having a homeless person move along (not cooperating with his request to do so)
AUGUST
8/6/11 – 11:03 pm Woman fell at the ground level by the benches in front, it was an accident, not known if there is serious bleeding, she is alert and responding, injury is to a “possibly dangerous” area.
8/19/11 – 8:14 pm Disturbance out front with homeless male who is drinking and a female, he is also making threats to her.
8/22/11 – 5:32 pm “check person” no notes.
8/28/11 – No notes.
SEPTEMBER
9/4/11 2:19 pm Dave from CCB Maintenance – Group of 3 homeless males in from of the building, drinking. Caller wants them moved along.
9/6/11 10:33 pm Public Disturbance, laceration above the eye
9/9/11 8:54 pm Dave called, Person causing problems and is not wanting to start a fight
9/9/11 10:46pm CCB Employee called – differently described person than earlier incident elderly male by the front doors, passed out, open can of beer next to him.
9/11/11 5:11pm Someone arrested – can’t tell for what
9/16/11 9:25 pm Two homeless men were bothering each other, No violations occurred, tried to mediate
9/18/11 4:46pm Male “f-bombing profusally” and making negative comments about homosexuaals, was arguing with a female
9/27/11 9:18pm CCB Employee called, homeless people laying and partially blocking exits. They have their blankets/bodies in front of the doors and in the pathways after you exit. Mailbox also blocked.
9/29/11 8:09 P. ATL. Person?
OCTOBER
10/3/11 2:25am Homeless male out front keeps . . . (cut off)
10/5/11 8:13pm CCB Employee – male sitting on a bench in front, 2 ladies walked by and he started following them and singing at the top of his lungs. One women walking a dog . . . (cut off)
10/5/11 11:27pm City of Madison person called from Wilson side of building – head wound from fall, pt is drunk.
10/12/11 10:41 pm – Public disturbance (no other info)
NOVEMBER
11/1/11 – 6:42 pm – Joe from maintenance – Right out front on the heating grates, intoxicated frmale fell and hit her head
11/2/11 – 5:31 pm – Homeless smoking outside front door of CCB
11/9/11 – 9:26 am – Captain Gloede says 2 people drinking, no descriptions, steno wasn’t sure but thinks it is just inside.
11/9/11 – 4:05pm – Man sitting outside entrance very intoxicated, (cop) does not think he can care for himself any longer.
11/11/11 – 4:47pm – OIC – Officer in charge? call says 2 drunk people in the lobby
11/14/11 – 5:05pm – City of Madison – Complaining about the homeless on the MLK side
11/14/11 – 5:10pm – City of Madison person again – Disturbance/nuisance, intoxicated female (info cut off again)
11/15/11 – 9:57am – Lavonne from Parks – Intoxicated transient on MLK side, just dropped a beer bottle, 2nd hand, no description
11/15/11 – 9:08pm – Dave, CCB maintenance – several people on the front steps of CCB, refusing to leave when asked to do so by maintenance
11/22/11 – 7:34am – 2 homeless men were camped out inside the doors again, were outside directly in front of the doors smoking, employee told them they can’t smoke there and was swore at
11/23/11 – 3:28 pm – Unknown problem, man down
11/23/11 – 5:02 pm – Man out front named (xx) that is poking him in the chest and threatening to beat him up. Got mad when asking to verify info and (cut off)
11/24/11 – 2:08am – Person in black coat or hoodie is inside ccb 1st floor by the MLK entrance, when noticed he ducked around near the clerk’s entrance.
DECEMBER
12/10/11 – 6:53 am – Outside MLK side, female was bit, drew blood, refusing EMS, male bit her.
12/12/11 1:02 pm – Fight in lobby – MLK side
12/12/11 1:21pm – Woman bleeding (not alert) – (but listed a lower priority than other calls?)
12/12/11 5:25pm Homeless arguing, but she hung up because argument is over
12/13/11 11:06 am, Intoxicated male. Almost fell out of the chair 2xs, Maint said he almost (cut off)
12/13/11 1:29pm – Dave from Maintenance – 2 male homeless subjects on the heating grate to the left of the main doors, closer to Wilson St, refusing to leave.
12/13/11 5:23 pm – 2 on the heating grate
12/19/11 8:31am OIC “see det xxx in the lobby who wil point out drunk dude – eval for detox”
12/19/11 5:03pm – Laying in front of the doors at the entrance a homeless man being helped to the ground by several homeless ppl, caller not comfortable checking what is wrong, if anything
12/21/11 4:13 pm- Dave from Maintenance – female using foul language and refusing to leave when asked to do so by maint, who will also be waiting in lobby
12/21/11 5:39pm – Dave from Maintenance – Several homeless people on the grates to the left of the entry door at mlk, refusing to leave when asked to do so by fac. man., who will be standing by also.
12/21/11 8:44pm – OIC also calling in, saying MLK/Doty (cut off)
12/22/11 4:47am – Newspaper guy – homeless male fell and broke his arm.
12/22/11 8:56 am – Homes male down in the floor on mlk side of the ccb, heard female say we was intox.
12/23/11 4:51pm – Homeless group verbal. One threw a hat at the other.
12/29/11 7:59 pm – Dave from maintenance – 3 people on the grates to the left of the MLK entrance. Were asked to leave earlier by CCB maint., but now back and refusing to leave again.
12/29/11 8:26 – 2 on the grates.
I’m not sure here, but I think someone gets some sort of grinch award here. And the taxpayers should be asking these people call police on these frivolous issues to be reimbursed for their time and services.
The reports were run on 1/6/12 so I presume they were current up to that date. By my calculations we have:
– about a dozen incidents involving drinking – but now they have passed and ordinance against that
– 6 I couldn’t really tell what they were, 2 of which were pocket dials
– 5 where people were hurt with no indication of alcohol being involved
– 1 fight, 1 threat
– 5 where people on the heating grates, 2 where people were swearing, 2 where they were smoking, 1 person was singing, 1 where people were sitting on the steps, 1 where they were homeless and apparently that was the reason for the call, 1 where they were sleeping, 2 arguments, 2 where they were being loud,
– 8 of the calls were from the same person who wanted the homeless to “move along” on three occasions, only one of which he said they were drinking, 3 where they were on the grates, and two where they were swearing or trying to start a fight with him.
In the past when the committee met, all that had were these 6 complaints. So, they seem to have more now, but they also seem to be manufacturing issues. Really, smoking, swearing and arguing. I’m positive that has all been done in the city-county building for years and years – and only the smoking has been stopped!
More coming on the cities plan to drum up more police calls. That will be in part 3.
What do you think they should be doing? Cuz these frivolous calls to 911 and the City of Madison Police don’t seem to be the answer but it sure seems to be costing us.