A recent rise in crime on Madison's Allied Drive, combined with a lack of witnesses and victim cooperation with authorities, has led to the establishment of a special police command post for the neighborhood.
In the past month, there have been numerous weapons violations, a stabbing, a shooting and drug trafficking along the small stretch of low-income housing on Madison's west side. The command post, which will include at least 10 officers, will give police an added presence in the area. With an increased force, they hope to investigate and arrest those involved in recent crimes.
The lack of community cooperation with police in the Allied Drive area has led to difficulties both in identifying suspects and solving cases, according to a Madison Police Department press release.
As evidenced by recent ""stop-snitching"" campaigns in cities across the nation including Pittsburgh, Los Angeles and Milwaukee, criminals have intimidated witnesses and victims to the extent that they are afraid to speak with police. According to the Baltimore Sun, potential witnesses have even had their homes fire-bombed to prevent their cooperation in Baltimore police investigations.
UW-Madison law professor David Schultz said community members might not speak to police because they distrust them or fear getting in trouble themselves. He said they also have ""fear of repercussions by people they might give information about.""
This summer, a man stabbed outside of Club Majestic, 115 King St., refused to tell Madison police what happened or who stabbed him, according to Central District Police Commander Mary Schauf. Police Public Information Officer Mike Hanson said witnesses and victims of crime refuse to speak to police because ""they're fearful of retaliation, they're fearful of loved ones having to talk to the police or get arrested or they're fearful of their own safety.""
According to police, altering community attitudes toward the force will go a long way toward solving crimes.
""It's the criminals and victims we're trying to reach out to let them know that it's OK to communicate with us and to talk to us about some of the violence that's going on out there,"" Hanson said.
""I think that any police officer or police chief will tell you that they can't control or fight crime all by themselves, that they need the help of the community,"" Schultz said. ""And that includes the individual people who live there as well as their formal and informal leaders.""
