You’d think the answer would have been forthcoming sooner than this, but I finally, 3 months later, got the answer.
QUESTIONS AND OPEN RECORDS REQUEST
It’s not that I didn’t try. I asked in several meetings. They said they weren’t sure who assisted them, that they didn’t have a list but might have several, that they had no control over who came, that they were too busy to respond . . . yadda . . . yadda . . . yadda. I reviewed the tapes of our meetings and I finally did an open records request when I saw the questions and answers again. On Friday I got the answer. Two things about this are very bothersome:
- Why do I need to do an open records request to get information for the Public Safety Review Committee? Acting Chief Vic Wahl and Acting Captain Mindy Winter could have given it to me this entire time.
- Why was I initially told that there was no list? The record did, after all, exist. And were they lying or didn’t they know it existed. Both possibilities are disturbing, each in their own way.
Initial Request
During the July 28th PSRC Policy Committee meeting Chief Wahl said there is a list of departments who provided mutual aid during the first period of civil unrest May 30 – June. Could you please send me that list? This should be a simple open records request that could be put ahead of other requests that may require gathering more information.
Response
Friday, September 11
This is in response to your public records request from 8.31.2020 for outside agency assistance. This list was used during the first few days of the protests and reflects out agency help during that period. After a thorough search, this is the record I have in response to your public records request.
List below.
Issues with response
So, this list isn’t a list of who actually assisted them, its the list they used during the first few days of the protest and may not be accurate. They don’t seem inclined to get the information as requested. Perhaps the people studying the protests that the police department hired to assess the incident will have better luck?
POLICY PROBLEMS
On the policy side of things, this is hugely concerning. Based on questions asked during the Public Safety Review Committee Subcommittee on Protest Policies, we also learned that when the Wisconsin System was activated, they also have:
- No control over which departments are sent.
- No training about MPD policies
- They aren’t trained in the Madison Method
- The “Madison Method” Seven Principles of Handling Crowds and Demonstrations
- We PROTECT citizen’s constitutional rights to assemble, petition the government and engage in free speech.
- We are IMPARTIAL and remain neutral regardless of the issue.
- We maintain OPEN DIALOGUE with citizens and the news media before, during and after demonstrations.
- We MONITOR demonstrations and marches to protect individual rights and ensure public safety.
- We BALANCE the rights of demonstrators with the rights of the community at large.
- We use RESTRAINT in the use of force. We protect people first and property second.
- We, as PEACE OFFICERS pursue CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT of our method.
- The “Madison Method” Seven Principles of Handling Crowds and Demonstrations
- They aren’t trained in any other policies either – they just have the required state training.
- They aren’t trained in the Madison Method
- No requirements for what gear they use
- No requirements uniform identification (which department, which officer) to be visible to the public
- No requirements that we get reports from those departments. They file their reports with their home departments
- No knowledge of discipline history with these officers, there are no standards that are used to determine who is sent.
I probably missed a few points there . . . but you get where I”m going with this. It’s the wild west with no accountability.
LIST OF DEPARTMENTS
This list doesn’t include the National Guard. Agencies from outside Dane County are bolded. I think this is hugely problematic for so many reasons, but the “anti-Madison liberal” sentiment from around the state is of great concern.
- Columbia County Sheriff’s Office
- Cottage Grove Police Department
- Dane County Sheriff’s Office
- Deforest Police Department
- Fitchburg Police Department
- Fort Atkinson Police Department
- Grant County Sheriff’s Office
- Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office
- Hudson Police Department
- Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office
- Jefferson Police Department
- LaCrosse County Sheriff’s Office
- Maple Bluff Police Department
- Marathon County Sheriff’s Office
- McFarland Police Department
- Middleton Police Department
- Monona Police Department
- Mount Horeb Police Department
- Oneida County Sheriff’s Office
- Oregon Police Department
- Rock County Sheriff’s Office
- Sauk County Sheriff’s Office
- Sauk Prairie Police Department
- Shorewood Hills Police Department
- St. Croix Sheriff’s Department
- Stoughton Police Department
- Sun Prairie Police Department
- Town of Madison Police Department
- Verona Police Department
- Village of Waunakee Police Department
- Watertown Police Department
- Wisconsin State Patrol
many of those departments may have sent one or two officers, if they sent any. I didn’t hear of any department’s officers not following ” the seven principles.”
You’re right, we didn’t hear anything about what those officers did while in our city because we have no reports.
When are you going to publish a list of the rioters? You thought nothing of listing every employee (civilian and commissioned) of MPD and stating (albeit incorrectly) that if you were tear-gassed, it was one of these officers (civilians were not in riot gear and on the front lines in case you were unaware).
“They aren’t trained in the Madison Method.” You seem to have a problem with the “Madison Method” so I find it odd you would ask that outside agencies have this training.
I’d have to wait 3 months to get the list of names from the police department records unit. They are mad at me for making too many requests. Do you want to request it?
There is nothing wrong with the Madison Method – except that it isn’t actually in the Standard Operating Procedures of the MPD and it isn’t required to be followed.