After a summer during which crime and violence occurred frequently throughout downtown Madison, city officials allotted an additional $50,000 to increase the number of police officers patrolling University Avenue on weekend nights.
The first major violent act involved a shooting on the 600 block of University Avenue outside Segredo in May which injured three people. In July, five people attacked Wisconsin Badgers’ senior running back Montee Ball on the 500 block of the same street.
One contributing factor to the increase in violence is “nomadic” groups of loitering people who stand outside bars on State Street and University Avenue and who may have gang affiliations, according to Madison Police Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain.
“There is a particular group ... not going into bars, displaying behaviors that [are] intimidating to some and showing a sort of disregard for law enforcement at times,” DeSpain said.
While gang-related violence does occur, MPD Lt. Dave McCaw said it is not as if “gang wars” are playing out on the streets of Madison.
The MPD defines a gang as three or more people gathered together with the purpose of committing a felony or a crime, according to McCaw.
DeSpain said there have not been any recurring incidents in the area since the additional officers started patrolling the downtown area on weekend nights. Crime Prevention Gang Unit officers also patrol the area to identify gang members.
However, according to Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, there are no loitering laws in Madison, which means police cannot arrest people for standing outside of establishments.
Segredo owner Michael Hierl said stronger loitering laws are needed in Madison to ultimately eliminate the problem. The shooting that left three injured in May occurred in front of Segredo, located at 624 University Avenue.
“I don’t think the problem has been solved,” Hierl said. “I just think it’s no longer in front of Segredo.”
Resnick said the real problem is helping young kids from poor socioeconomic backgrounds who become involved with gangs because they feel they have no other alternative.
The city is attempting to “attack the root of the problem” by reaching out to these young people in addition to increasing police protection, according to Resnick.
