The Madison Police Department Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Downtown Safety Initiative Aug 07, 2017

Show notes

This summer has seen an increasing number of serious batteries in parts of the downtown. Central District Captain Jason Freedman has called some recent trends and patterns alarming. In this podcast, he joins Chief Koval to talk about challenges of policing the eclectic and beautiful Isthmus. The Central City is home to a diverse set of shareholders: students, transients, business owners, tourists, and residents living in upscale condominiums. Capt. Freedman explains the need for deploying additional officers, and how his staff is working with bar owners and the downtown alderperson on innovative ideas to reduce violence.

MPD’s Mounted Patrol Jul 31, 2017

Show notes

A veteran member of the MPD’s Mounted Patrol joins Chief Koval in this podcast to talk about the many benefits of putting officers in saddles, and how the Madison team has now become a model unit for other departments’ to emulate. Officer Sarah Mulry grew up in Northern Wisconsin and was a trail guide for numerous stables in her youth, so her life has sort of come full circle. From crowd control, to finding lost people, to recovering evidence, to building better community relations, she knows well the many good things the Mounted Patrol does for the community. And, thanks to the fantastic not-for-profit Friends of Madison Mounted Horse Patrol, the unit functions without tax dollars. Officer Mulry talks about it all in this podcast.

Midtown District Station Jul 24, 2017

Show notes

This August an important MPD project – years in the making – will begin to take root, as ground is broken for the new Midtown Police Station. It will be located on Mineral Point Rd. in the Westmorland Neighborhood. In this podcast MPD’s quarterback for the project, Capt. Jay Lengfeld, joins Chief Koval to talk about how the new station, and the officers who will staff it, will greatly improve police services to West Side residents.

Crime Response Program Jul 17, 2017

Show notes

The MPD works to keep the community safe by partnering with many agencies and organizations. A key group of caring professionals work out of the Dane County District Attorney’s Office. They are the members of the Crime Response Program and work hand-in-hand with officers as they respond to violent calls where victims and their families are in need of many levels of support. Julie Foley from Crime Response joins Chief Koval in this podcast to talk about her team and the vital role they play in the lives of victims.

Violent Crime Unit Jul 10, 2017

Show notes

In this podcast Capt. Jen Krueger Favour joins Chief Koval to talk about how taxed the MPD’s Violent Crime Unit has been this summer with multiple homicides and weapons offenses. Krueger Favour oversees VCU and she and Chief Koval discuss those things that are driving forces behind the violence.

Good Neighbor Project Jun 19, 2017

Show notes

This episode of Mike Koval’s Podcast is an introduction to the Madison Police Department’s Good Neighbor Project, a new initiative focused on community building and neighborhood partnerships. Chief Koval is joined by MPD’s Crime Prevention Officer, Emily Samson.

Mental Health Officer Team Jun 12, 2017

Show notes

In this podcast, Chief Mike Koval talks about what motivated him to form a Mental Health Officer Team. The unit is expanding while garnering kudos from local consumers and national law enforcement agencies, many of which are now looking to emulate what has become a national model for helping those with mental health issues. Chief Koval believes one of the big reasons for success is the partnership formed with mental health practitioners. A civilian crisis worker from Journey Mental Health is “embedded” with the MPD. Sarah Henrickson will join in this podcast to talk about what is working on the streets, and why more her social worker colleagues will soon be joining her at the MPD.

Educational Resource Officers Jun 05, 2017

Show notes

The MPD has had police officers partnering with teachers inside Madison high schools for nearly two decades, yet there are often some community members questioning whether they should be there. In this podcast, Chief Koval talks about the merits of the Educational Resource Officer program. The captain who oversees it – Brian Ackeret – also stops by to provide a current assessment of how the program is working and where its future might lie.

MPD’s Community Outreach and Resource Education (CORE) team May 30, 2017

Show notes

Chief Koval talks about the need to provide better outreach to area middle school students with his belief that the relatively new Community Outreach and Resource Education (CORE) team is on the cusp of making a real difference in many young peoples’ lives. To give listeners a better sense of the team – which is expanding this summer – Chief Koval asked the MPD’s Core sergeant to join in the podcast. Scott Kleinfeldt, it turns out, is uniquely qualified to lead the CORE. You will find out why - and how officers are helping young people make good decisions - in this podcast.

Immigration and the MPD May 22, 2017

Show notes

As the President continues to push for withholding federal funds to so called “sanctuary cities,” Chief Koval reiterates the importance of the MPD’s stance on immigration. In this podcast, Chief Koval talks about the department’s commitment to community policing for all people, and under which situations officers will work with ICE, the U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement Agency.