The Madison Police Department Central district commissioned a survey on how citizens felt about the departments’ service in September of 2017, with the overall response being favorable to the department.
Ninety-two percent of responders in the central district, which includes most of the UW-Madison campus, identified as caucasian or white. Most were concerned with problems like public intoxication, loud music at parties and garbage and litter.
Each of these activities was a problem mentioned by at least 50 percent of all responders. Most respondents agreed that MPD treats constituents “fairly” and “with respect.”
The survey also revealed that most respondents trust the department, with 90.24 percent of responders saying they were not afraid to work with MPD.
The survey results come after an outside audit of the department in December that promoted increased accountability of officer’s actions in the downtown area.
Aside from questions about interactions with MPD, the survey also asked participants about their own actions and their neighborhoods.
Of the reponses, 95.31 percent of participants thought that “it is important for citizens to take an active role in preventing crime.”
The survey follows increased discussion about police and community relations in Madison, especially surrounding MPD’s relations with the city’s African-American and Latino communities. Only 1.55 percent of respondents identified as African-American, 1.55 percent as Asian-American and 1.11 as Hispanic.
