Madison Police Deptartment Captain Carl Gloede expressed uncertainty over the future of the Mifflin Street Block Party at a Downtown Coordinating Committee meeting Thursday night.
Gloede gave a report on the final statistics of the 2012 party, stating there were 627 citations and 547 people arrested total.
“We probably won’t know [the future of the party] for several months. If it continues with no changes, I feel that the scope and size will continue to decrease because there won’t be anything for people to do,” Gloede said. “If we do have a spring party, we will have to have a discussion about a location other than Mifflin Street.”
He said the overall atmosphere was safer this year due to the increased number of officers and the lack of violence.
“From a crime perspective, it was safer,” Gloede said, “However, this year’s block party cost substantially more than last year and we do not believe it’s a productive use of city resources.”
Committee member Rosemary Lee was dissatisfied with both the 2011 and 2012 block party, and said the city did not take enough responsibility.
“Frankly, I am appalled that no city official took the blame for the sale of alcohol on Mifflin Street last year,” Lee said. “It was a direct result for some of the terrible and sad behavior I witnessed last year.”
The behavior that occurred due to the sale of alcohol on the street led to the increase in police force this year, according to Lee.
“I think there were so many arrests this year because it was almost too much of a reversal for the lack of responsibility last year,” Lee said.
