University of Wisconsin-Madison students may be able to avoid citations and underage drinking tickets due to a new initiative by a Madison Police Department group’s Twitter account that informs followers about upcoming bar raids and house parties police plan to bust around campus.
The MPD Central District Community Policing Team launched a Twitter account Sept. 13, just in time for the first nighttime Badger football game. In addition to tweeting about upcoming bar and house party raids, police also tweet safety tips, according to Sgt. Tony Fiore.
Fiore said the new initiative is an “overdue tool” aimed at keeping students safe and preventing them from getting into trouble with the law.
“We can really reach a valuable part of our community that in all honesty we’ve probably been missing,” Fiore said.
A community policing team is a group comprised of one police sergeant and five officers who are assigned to each of the five police districts in Madison, according to Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4.
Verveer said the central district’s CPT is focused on addressing house parties and bars violating their liquor license, which includes serving to minors and extremely inebriated patrons. He added the cops that students see shutting down parties or checking IDs in bars are often members of the CPT.
While the MPD publishes reports on more serious crime, many common incidents involving police, such as busting house parties, are not publicized, according to Verveer.
“I really applaud the cops for their unprecedented transparency,” Verveer said.
This past weekend, the CPT’s twitter account updated followers on their tavern checks at City Bar, Whiskey Jack’s and Kollege Klub in addition to safety tips, including how to avoid being burglarized.
In addition to informing students how to avoid cops while out on the town, Verveer said the account gives downtown bar owners a heads up on random checks.
However, students should be warned not to get a false sense of security if the CPT has not tweeted about the party they plan on attending, according to Verveer.
“Part of the strategy will still be taking some taverns and their patrons by surprise,” Verveer said.
