For arresting Maia Pearson, their board chairman!
Surprise, surprise! Did anyone expect different? Independent Police Monitor Aeiramique Glass says Maia Pearson never should have been arrested for resistance after employees of a downtown Madison venue called police on 12-19-25. Pearson, of course, chairs the Police Civilian Oversight Board that hired Miss Glass, who even acknowledges her Investigation “was initiated by OIPM.”
She scolds Madison police thusly: “I hope you do not hide behind the protections of policing culture. I hope you take accountability for the harm that was caused.” Get it? “Policing culture.”
Yet the monitor’s report cites no laws broken, no policies violated. Does Not Matter. The monitor wants “the culture” to change.
Just because some actions are within policy does not make them right. … MPD policies, practices, procedural justice and proactive accountability, are not separate from culture change. They are how culture changes. — Police Monitor Glass
The investigation appears to consist entirely of Maia Pearson’s account, although it claims “some findings” are taken from Pearson’s own smart phone recordings and another video taken from across the street. Glass does note that police still aren’t allowed body-worn cameras.
She was yanked out of the vehicle and taken to the ground on a public street in winter conditions. She was in a formal dress and heels as earlier that evening she had attended gala. Once on the ground, an officer quickly jabbed his knee into her back before straddling her while she was face-down on the pavement, while five other officers surrounded her and assisted with her arrest.
She was placed in a full cage vehicle and transported prone to an empty parking lot. She did not know where she was being taken. She did not know why she was being arrested. She was crying and screaming for help. She said she believed her life was in danger. …
Madison police were going to take her to Babi Yar? “She had never been arrested before in her life,” the OIPM adds, as if that were pertinent to anyone but a public defender. Poor Maia was “yanked,” not “removed” from the vehicle” then “placed in a cage.” Was A.O.C. there to cover her face in shame? “Didn’t know where she was being taken.” Couldn’t guess the destination might have been the county lock-up? No mention that Ms. Pearson, who is also vice president of the Metropolitan Madison Board of Education, refused orders to exit the vehicle.
The IPM argues that Pearson should not have been charged with resisting arrest without a first, predicate charge that would justify the initial arrest. That is a good lawyerly point and police did subsequently add disorderly conduct. A judge will decide whether that is a justiciable technicality.
The curious thing is that the IPM does not post her findings on the city web page but instead releases it to the always credulous Madison 365, which finds racism under every badge.
Blaska’s Bottom Line: Ms. Glass concludes, “I am grateful that Ms. Pearson is here. I hope she is healing.” As if 12-19-25 was a near-death experience. What a Woke drama queen!
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