My name is Brooke Wilczewski, and I do not want to ever have to say, “Me too.” My name is Brooke Wilczewski, and I never want to be robbed. My name is Brooke Wilczewski, and I am furious that the Langdon Street Police Officer position is being taken away.
For the safety of myself and all of the other students and Madison residents that live in the Central District area of the city, I believe it is utterly irresponsible of the Madison Police Department to remove this critical position that fosters trust between Langdon residents and the police department itself.
Just in the last week there was a shooting on Langdon Street, just a few hundred feet from where Greek life students were running a late-night grilled cheese philanthropy event, while multiple other Greek organizations held social events nearby.
While the altercation occurred and nobody was fatally injured, this event makes it blatantly clear to Langdon residents and those in the surrounding area that violent crimes are still occurring on Langdon, endangering the lives of all that live nearby.
Katie Hise, a member of the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority on campus who was at the fundraiser, recalls the events as they transpired.
“I heard and saw the whole shooting situation happen. I was terrified and was wondering why no one was doing anything,” Hise stated. “When I saw the police cars I felt an immediate sense of relief and safety, the Langdon police officers have always been so protective of us and wouldn’t let us be in harm’s way.”
Students on Langdon love Officer Figueroa, the Madison Police Department neighborhood police officer in charge of Langdon Street and trusted resource for the entirety of the UW-Madison Greek community, and his team. We trust that he is there to protect us, and bring every student living on Langdon a sense of peace knowing that it is his sole job to be there if any risky situation should occur.
While gun violence is a larger issue in itself in Madison, sexual harassment, dating violence, sexual assault, groping and stalking frequently occur in the Langdon neighborhood.
As reported from the Madison Police Department’s 2018 Annual Report, the Central District — which covers both State Street and Langdon —shows that in addition to having the highest number of Drug/Narcotic Offenses and Forcible Sex Offenses, Central District has the second highest number of Assault Offenses, Burglary,Damage to Property and Weapon Law Violation Offenses.
These are not numbers to be taken lightly. In 2018 alone, when only considering the reported Forcible Sex Offenses, there were 55. That is 16 above the second highest District (East District at 39 offenses reported). 55 people were violated, and 55 people’s lives changed forever.
As found from the newly released Association of American Universities Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Misconduct, a survey filled out by nearly 20 percent of the undergraduate and graduate students in February of 2019, one in four women on the UW-Madison campus have personally experienced sexual assault. Nearly 26.1 percent of undergraduate women respondents reported having experienced a sexual assault since entering college.
This number is appalling, and it doesn’t make any of our students safer to remove a police officer from an area that is one of the most densely populated hubs on campus for social events and potentially risky situations.
I am not the only one that feels this way. Maya Parks, a sophomore in Alpha Epsilon Phi also shares feelings of fear, anxiety and unease with this decision.
“With the removal of the Langdon officer position I am feeling mostly fear and anger. I am fearful of what that means for my safety. I am the type of person that has people walk me places at night, doesn’t use headphones when walking alone and texts to make sure my friends got home safely. Having an officer specifically for Langdon helped me feel safer,” Parks said. “I am also angry because I can’t grasp the justification behind the removal of the position. The amount of people that live on Langdon, especially the amount of female students, makes me question if the police actually have our best interests at heart.”
Another student, Katie Keith, a sophomore in Alpha Epsilon Phi who will be living on Langdon for a second year in a row, shares the same concerns. She is scared because she knows that she will not feel nearly as safe as she does this year, stating that “it is imperative we have extra security on a street so highly targeted and populated.”
While it is the Madison Police Department that ultimately made the decision to reallocate their resources, this is largely due to budget cuts determined by the Mayor’s Office in the 2019 City of Madison budget to make room for different, city-wide projects.
While we are not trying to discredit the importance of completing these city-wide projects, it is crucial to also consider the safety of the residents of one of the most highly populated neighborhoods in Madison. If Langdon residents aren’t here to walk on improved roads, what good do these roads do?
As Officer Damion Figueroa so eloquently reminds all students on Langdon, if we ever need anything, if we ever are a victim of a burglary or an assault, or we see anything that makes us feel unsafe in the area, he is there for us.
We already have a resource that is dedicated to the highly student-populated area that is Langdon Street. We already have someone whose sole job is to facilitate relationships with students, and maintain a safe atmosphere for us to get the best education from a highly regarded institution like UW-Madison. We already have an official protecting us so we can socialize with our fellow peers in a casual setting, to enjoy the campus culture, and ultimately to explore and grow as young adults. We already have somebody that has our back — always.
The students of UW-Madison that live on Langdon are still here, and we are important. Our safety and sense of comfort in our homes is being toyed with by the mayor’s budget and Madison Police Department as if our concerns are nonissues. Our concerns are important and valid.
Nobody on Langdon wants to be another name in a report or another number on the Police Department’s 2019 Annual Report.
Our experiences and our fears are valid, and as one of the most highly populated neighborhoods in Madison, our voices deserve to be heard. The City of Madison and the Madison Police Department work for us. Students will continue to fight this, and we will win, for our safety and the safety of the students after us.
Brooke has since called and emailed the Mayor and her staff and has yet to hear back about an official meeting time. Any students with further concerns should continue to call the Mayor’s office and make their voices heard.
Brooke is a sophomore majoring in sociology and gender and women’s studies, with a certificate in global health. What are your thoughts on Madison PD’s decision to decrease police presence near campus? Send your thoughts to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
