“The officers feel an utter lack of support from their city government and I think it makes it very difficult to take action — not just in a context of a large protest but just in run-of-the-mill encounters,” caring Police Chief Vic Wahl said in an interview Saturday with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
“It doesn’t influence my decision making but I think, clearly, the officer on the street feels a lack of support and I’m sure it’s hard to ignore,” he said.
“The current approach of waiting until an officer is injured before taking enforcement action is untenable, both for the officers and the public,” Powers said. “Our current tactic clearly does nothing more than raise the willingness of the criminal elements we’re facing to keep pressing the envelope, and consequently expose us to even greater risks.”
Madison police union president Kelly Powers said without a change in practice, “one of us is going to be killed, or innocent lives could (be) lost.”
Wahl says the characterization of the department’s approach is inaccurate and that the department during every event like Tuesday’s seeks to balance the First Amendment right to protest and maintaining public safety.
Source: Madison police say they feel unsupported by city leaders
Blaska Policy Werkes 
10 responses to “Madison police say they feel unsupported by city leaders”
Has anyone asked Wahl exactly what the mayor’s orders were when the rioting/looting/arson etc. began and then the following night and just recently when the capital statues were destroyed along with other substantial vandalism to the capital grounds?
Did Wahl give the stand down order? He’s not saying and that is unacceptable.
Who told the capital police to be awol while the capital monuments were destroyed, one dragged to lake Monona via stolen tow truck.
This has not been publicly clarified to my knowledge.
Why are such important decisions/orders/conversations not publicized?
They work for *we the people* and owe us a clear explanation.
Are local reporters pressing Wahl, Satya, and capital police on this? Is anyone?
This is a huge story!
Here is the quintessential mealy-mouthed evasive response on the subject from just a few days ago.
https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/crime-and-courts/after-violent-madison-protest-goes-largely-unchecked-focus-shifts-to-lack-of-police-response/article_8d214e86-02d6-5174-ba83-39195c81dbed.html
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Local reporting sucks for the most part. And officials don’t feel they have to answer to “we the people.” They have nothing but contempt for us and they don’t even try to hide it anymore.
“Why are such important decisions/orders/conversations not publicized?
They work for *we the people* and owe us a clear explanation.
Are local reporters pressing Wahl, Satya, and capital police on this? Is anyone?
This is a huge story!”
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Where is Evers on 2 statues ? We know where Rosie is on MPD. She is a loser.Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
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Sorry, not buying it. Used to have a huge amount of respect for Chief Wahl, but I feel that he has let this city down and that he is more of an enabler than an enforcer of the law.
When rank and file are confiding in you, or me, or Vicki instead of going to command staff, there’s a problem.
Officers were told to stand down and not make arrests, including that of a suspected sexual predator. What possible reason would these cops have to lie? Morale has tanked at the MPD. They’re ALL imagining it?
When you see a once vibrant downtown Madison now boarded up with plywood and store owners afraid to sign their names to a public document, there’s a problem.
When police cars are set on fire, statues dragged through the streets, innocent people attacked, a city living in fear, that is lawlessness. Pure anarchy. I’d say that the fine line he’s referring to has been crossed.
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Yes, some line!
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Per the article:“The Madison Police Department works directly with State Capitol Police and other local law enforcement, Rhodes-Conway said in late afternoon news conference. She emphasized that she’s not giving any orders.”
Did command really think the mayor would have their backs?
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And why is this being covered by press in Milwaukee and not Madison? Rhetorical.
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Reporters, editors, managers, newscasters et al. are frightened of being doxxed, having their homes firebombed, and kids bullied or seriously injured. Fear can be effectively persuasive especially when used against leftys. Madison was a powder-puff gig for people in the news business before the local terrorists took over and that occurred because our mayor, governor, and law enforcement command were afraid things would get dirty and they might look bad. Stupid, naïve, cowards. Not a backbone to be found among any of them. Complete and utter dereliction of duty. All should be relieved of duty, effective immediately. Forget it Jake, it’s Chinatown…
Calling Lara Logan, Sharyl Attkisson.
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Amen to everything you said. Cowards all of them!
Knew what we were getting with the progressive politicians, but I’m especially disappointed in MPD command (and LE command in general) who should be enforcing the law instead of playing politics.
The two ladies you mentioned have bigger nads than most!
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Add Heather MacDonald and Laura Loomer to your To Call list!
The Gotch
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