for Madison’s police hall monitor!
We have reviewed the first four complaints adjudicated by Madison’s Office of Independent Police Monitor. The Cliff’s Notes summary: Don’t play against OIPM in Trivial Pursuit. The cases included in its still-withdrawn annual report amount to deploying the SWAT team over an expired parking meter.
First, a word about the 70-page annual report issued last week and then withdrawn due to the cover art depicting Madison with two state capitols. Aside from the art, produced via artificial stupidity, the body of the report is comprehensive and well written, contrary to other accounts. Ms. Aeiramique Glass, the monitor herself, knows her (blessedly) esoteric field. Correction: Interim monitor, because the churn in that five-year-old office isn’t over. As for Greg Gelembiuk’s numbers, they appear well crunched. Who are we to dispute Alex Saloutos?!
The office wants to be funded at 2 percent of the police department’s budget, which would balloon its budget five-fold to $1.97 million. That would pay for its own in-house attorney and allow Dr. G. to crunch full time. Ms. Glass says she can’t trust the city attorney because his office also represents the police department (as well as the rest of city government). The OIPM has a $50,000 fund to pay lawyers to sue the city but in five years, no one has drawn on it due — Ms. Glass avers — to lack of hired help.
OIPM claimed it resolved eight cases but reports only these four — none of which make the case that Madison is Mississippi Burning:
Did stressed cop flip the bird? INVESTIGATE!
Complaint One — was filed against two police officers for unlawful stop and frisk, arrest, and unsafely transporting the arrested citizen. For not showing identification as requested, suspect was first arrested for obstruction. Supervising sergeant substituted disorderly conduct. That charge was eventually dismissed. One of the officers wore a camera (on a trial basis), which showed the arrestee “was quiet and non-threatening.” At one point, the officer muted his camera, apparently in violation of procedures. The police monitor recommended more training. Report doesn’t explain the unsafe transport. No seatbelts?
Complaint #2 — A “young adult” approached a police sergeant and asked for a fist bump. “The officer used explicit and verbally abusive language directed at the member of the public and made an intimidating gesture toward that individual.” OIPM ruled the cop violated MPD’s Code of Conduct governing courtesy, respect, and professional conduct. The department disciplined the sergeant before the monitor ever got to this case but she’s not happy with the penalty issued “given that the incident was recorded and widely circulated.” As if that were the officer’s fault. Report does not disclose the nature of the discipline.
The officer communicated experiencing a series of high-stress calls prior to this incident. That context does not excuse the conduct observed. It does, however, underscore the importance of proactive wellness support.
Complaint #3 — An out-of-state collection agency asked for police to retrieve items from a Madison home. The monitor found no violation of policy but proposed a review of civil assist policy — which MPD is doing.
Kvetch #4 — Something suspicious going on, a citizen thinks; asks police to investigate. Detective finds it’s a merely the interactions of a happy family. Citizen charges inadequate investigation. “The review did not substantiate the allegation. The evidence reflects that the detective conducted an adequate investigation.” Whew!
→ Police Civilian Oversight Board meets Wednesday 03-25-26. (Agenda)
Blaska’s Bottom Line: These cases strike us as exceedingly small beer. Certainly, not the high stakes of a white police officer shooting a black assailant in a stairwell — the Tony Robinson Jr. case in March 2015. On the scale of a George Floyd ten, the four recounted by OIPM are zero-point-ones.
Should another high-profile case occur — and it will — Madison’s OIPM will never have the resources available to the WI Department of Justice, which remains bound by statute to investigate all police-related shootings, as it did Tony Robinson Jr. (It exonerated police.) Even if OIPM gets its Christmas wishlist budget.
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