Not My Police Department

Chief Koval recently wrote a blog in which he says “The Police are the Public and the Public are the Police.” It sounds nice, but it doesn’t erase everything else that has happened in the past few years. Crafting with a Cop, serving hot dogs at a community event, and having an article written that says that Samba Baldeh and the Chief have reconciled their differences – doesn’t fix things. It ignores real and serious problems. It seems like a PR attempt to sweep things under the rug. It fails to acknowledge real harms and real problems. We have a policing crisis. They might not see it, but its real, and these things will do nothing to solve it. Hang in with me for a moment and let me explain.

I used to say that if you call the cops in Madison, 3 out of 4 will be AWESOME, the 4th one you have to watch out for. Since 2011, I’ve had more street level police interaction than I care to. Mostly detox calls, some injuries, some mental health crises and more detox calls. Calls to help people in crisis. Generally, I’m not a fan of calling the police, I do everything in my power to not call. It often might solve an immediate issue, but causes longer term problems – jail time, fines people can’t pay, lost jobs/missed appointments while in jail, revocations, criminal records, more trauma, etc. All things that are going to complicate someone’s life and make things harder for people are struggling. But sometimes, you just have to. But where that line is for me has moved. I now think in my head, if I call the police, will this person get shot? If this person in crisis walks away without an intervention, what will happen 3 blocks away where someone isn’t as tolerant of mental health and alcohol and drug issues – and calls the police, “for help”. Will this person do something “strange” and end up dead?

After Tony Robinson was shot half a block from where I work, it changed how my staff reacts to issues. One day an African American man in his 50s was in my office, he was slurring his words, not making any sense and agitated. We tried to understand him and nothing really made much sense. I didn’t know if he was drunk, or sick or having a mental wellness challenge. I’d never seen him. Sadly, this isn’t as rare of an occasion as it should be, but this one was different. He left the office and wandered into Williamson St. traffic. My staff did call 9-1-1 but demanded that they only send paramedics, not police. The fire station is half a block in the other direction from where Tony Robinson was killed by police. The paramedics and firefighters walked over, we pointed in the direction the person had gone and they got the person medical attention without the police about a block from our office. My staff were afraid to call the police. As I heard the staff debating about what to say and how to keep the person safe, I was damn proud of my staff. But I also wondering, why did it have to be this way.

Since Genele Laird was brutally attacked and Michael Schumacher has been killed it’s only gotten more difficult to figure out what to do in these situations. Which gets me back to the 3 AWESOME Madison Police officers, and the 4th one, that’s not so much. And I’m seriously concerned that my anecdotal information is skewed, and its worse than 3 out of 4. Most of the police officers know who I am, or quickly figure it out. I’m white. I am there to help de-escalate and explain what is going on. I’m there to advocate for the person who needs attention. What happens when someone like me isn’t there to intervene? Would we get the same 3 out of 4 results? Or would it be less than that?

What has me concerned is how aggressive the police department has become. We got Chief (lead with my chin) Mike Koval who is just bombastic. And has an obvious disdain for “civilians” not in his (allegedly para-) military organization. And he trained our officers on the street.

He says things like this about a citizen and a group they belong to:
“If you choose to be a history revisionist and call for drama on each and every encounter with the police, your credibility diminishes and you deserve anything that you have coming to you when you engage in that sort of rhetoric,” Koval says.

and to our elected leaders:
To the Common Council: You are being watched. And be on notice: this is a pre-emptive first strike from me to you.

And just generally about the public that we are “perpetually offended” or numerous other put downs that he employs about utopia and living in a fantasy world. He called Tony Robinson’s grandmother a “raging” or “ranting” lunatic.

And then there was his performance at the council meeting. Acting like he’s an elected official and not a department head. That he has the right to participate in their meeting however he wants. And threatening to stomp out when it didn’t go his way. Just wow.

This is the leader of the police department doing these things. So I guess its no surprise that those under him might act the same way. And do it with no fear of reprisal. He violates his own code of conduct, so why should any other officer have to abide by it. (I’ll be more specific about the code of conduct for those who can’t seem to figure out what violations I am talking about – I’m looking at you Chris Rickert.)

Introduction
Police comprise a special class of public employee. In light of the fact that police presence and actions are highly visible examples of the desired role of police in a free society – guardians of constitutional rights and individual liberties – police conduct must be above reproach and held to high standards of professional behavior. When police conduct is found to be lacking, criticism is deservedly more warranted given the fiduciary relationship of trust established with the community. If community trust is lost, support and respect is diminished, as is the efficacy of police operations.

Mission
We, the members of the Madison Police Department, are committed to providing high quality police services that are accessible to all members of the community. We believe in the dignity of all people and respect individual and constitutional rights in fulfilling this mission.

Core Values
INTEGRITY
We are committed to performing our work with the highest degree of honesty, integrity and
professionalism.

HUMAN DIGNITY
We acknowledge the value of all people and carry out our duties with dignity, respect, and fairness to all. Furthermore, the Department recognizes and respects the value of all human life.
. . .
Code of Conduct
10. Courtesy, Respect and Professional Conduct
Members of the Department shall be courteous and respectful to the public and co-workers. Our encounters should be predicated upon civility and the appropriate use of an officer’s discretion based upon the totality of the circumstances. Members of MPD should avoid abusive, profane language or gestures and actions that bring disrespect upon the Department or members of the community. This includes unreasonable orders, or warnings not within the lawful scope of the member’s authority.

This isn’t what I see coming out of the department. In just the last few weeks four incidents, that have gone unchecked by the chief and are not concerning to him, leave me with little hope for his leadership. After the killing of Paulie Heenan and Tony Robinson, I thought there would be change, but the chief has resisted. We just pay the families millions of dollars to keep their mouths shut. Most recently after the beating of Genele Laird and the shooting of Michael Schumacher, the community has been traumatized again, and the chief stands fully behind his officers and sees nothing wrong. And I bet we make more payments – unless “restorative justice” required Genele to sign away her rights. And just in the last week or week and a half, several more things have come to light. Things that violate the code of conduct to be professional and treat the community with respect.

1. Sending Matt Kenny on a horse to the East Side Community Center where Tony Robinson’s mom’s (Andrea Irwin) daughter plays and just blocks from where his grandmother (Sharon Irwin) lives. Imagine the trauma involved in realizing that the person who killed Tony is right there in the community. Who thought this was a good idea? The linked facebook post was shared 121 times . . .

2. On the council agenda tonight item #1 has a petition in which Madison Police Officer Dean Baldukas says the following about the public:
“Glory-holing nincompoops who are out of touch with reality and common sense should focus on teh good work done by officers on a daily basis, rather than whoring themselves to the media in order to stroke their egos and justify their puny existence. Time to smell the salts, you dolts.”

3. Also on tonight’s agenda, Madison Police Officer Scott McConnell says “Progressives are assbags” and on another petition about the (legal?!) assault on Genele Laird “You people go fuck yourselves. You need to be accountable for your actions when you attack the police.”

Note:

I emailed the chief the following: “May I assume the Madison Police Department is appropriately disciplining these officers for their violations of the Code of Conduct? Or, would a formal complaint have to be filed in order for action to be taken? See attached.”

In response he said “I have cc’d our Professional Standards Unit with your information. The point person is Lt. Amy Chamberlin (achamberlin@cityofmadison.com). As it is unclear how much of the posting is originating from the individuals (as opposed to what has been added by others), please contact Lt. Chamberlin directly for any allegations of violations.”

i.e. he blew me off.

I replied to all:

The comments made by the officers are in item number one on tomorrow night’s council agenda, item number 1.
https://madison.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=4564573&GUID=CFABEBDE-E948-4B54-BE09-DECCA0510D51

Baldukas is on page 23
McConnell is on page 6

McConnell’s other comments appear in this petition.
https://www.change.org/p/madison-city-council-hold-madison-police-accountable

If you have any further questions, let me know.

I don’t expect to hear anything

4. And finally, my bizarre exchange with Assistant Chief Randy Gaber – who clearly doesn’t know how the internet works and was apparently attempting to silence and/or bully me and clearing interfering with my 1st amendment rights . It all started with me posting “Craft with a Cop” and saying “You just can’t make this stuff up!!!”. It contained a picture of police officer Amelia holding up a wind sock (?) someone had made. Some facebook friends photoshopped the picture and initially said “Black Lives Matter” to which I replied “awesome!!!!!” And then “Fire Chief Koval” to which I replied “even better”. A third photo said “Ashamed to be MPD” to which I replied “you know they are thinking it, they just can’t say it or the would be violating the code of conduct!”

Note:

11. Public Criticism
Members of the Department shall not publicly criticize the operations or personnel of the
Department if such criticism clearly undermines the discipline, morale or general efficiency of the Department.

The Department recognizes that its members retain rights to expression and freedom of speech
granted by the Constitution, whether on- or off-duty; however, these rights do not allow for
conduct which is disruptive to the function of the public’s business. Generally, conduct
prohibited by this regulation includes critical public statements or overt actions regarding
specific employees, orders, or operations, and includes abusive or deliberately constructed false criticism.

A couple more photos were posted, I didn’t respond to them. This apparently rankled Assistant Chief Gaber who felt it appropriate to email me, the entire common council and the mayor the following:

Ms. Konkel

Today I was made aware of you posting and commenting on “doctored” photos (attached) of an MPD Officer that had initiated a new program called Craft with a Cop. This is an initiative that was created by an Officer who gives her heart and soul to the children and residents of South Madison every day she comes to work. I have witnessed first-hand how she spends time with the elderly residents and children, breaking down cultural and racial barriers in an effort to build trust with our community. We hear every day from you and others in our community how this type of policing is essential and desperately needed, especially in communities of color. This is exactly what this Officer does every day she puts on her uniform. She does it with a level of excitement, compassion and unselfishness that is an inspiration to us all. For you to take an innocent photo of this Officer, whether you inserted the text or not, and send it out on your Facebook page in such a hateful, demeaning and insensitive manner, is incomprehensible to me and others here at MPD.

I can tell you that although your actions have deeply hurt this Officer, I know she will continue to carry forth our mission of strong community policing with a heavy emphasis on building relationships with ALL of our citizens, young and old. I have included an “undoctored” photo (below) of Officer Levett with the children in her neighborhood. This IS how we want our Officers to work with our youth.

I am extremely disappointed that you have chosen to publicly use the picture of this hard-working, community oriented Officer in such a negative and unwarranted manner instead of supporting and highlighting this type of positive, relational policing.

Assistant Chief Randy Gaber
Madison Police Department
Madison, WI 53703

Of course, I didn’t post any pictures. I did comment. What baffled me is why he felt the need to send this to the common council and mayor. And then I realized what was going on . . . it got into the hands of the pro-police activists (no one has confessed as to how) and they are using it to rile up support. And I got this lovely email from Mr. David Glomp:

from: Dave Glomp <dave2847@charter.net>
to: brendakonkel@gmail.com
cc: RGraber@cityofmadison.com,
PRSoglin@cityofmadison.com
date: Fri, Jul 15, 2016 at 7:53 PM
subject: Doctoring photos of police officers doing good things, to make them look bad, REALLY?

Wow, Brenda, Konkel, this is a new low even for you! So you not only want to get rid of the Police Chief, but now you have taken to doctoring and distorting photo’s of officers just doing their job and reaching out to young people in the community doing crafts with them! How discusting is that? Is that really your mode of dealing with people you apparently dislike and disagree with?

You owe her an apology for your disgusting action and accompanying comments! What did you think, no one would see your actions?

Assistant MPD Chief, Graber has already called you out and now I will let all of the citizens of Madison know just how disgusting and disgraceful you are, unless I see a real public apology! To say you are sub-human is an insult to all sub-humans!

What ever credibility you may think you have, is history, once this stupid action goes viral, which it will without that apology! Thank God that you are no longer on the City Council, what an embarrassment you are to the rest of the Alder’s who are still on the Council!

Good luck having anyone take you seriously, support or follow anything you do in the future. It doesn’t have to go down this way, if I see a public apology!
Dave Glomp

Gregory Gulembiuk does a good job of summarizing what happened next:

WE SUPPORT OUR POLICE yard signs are available at my home at 1717 Elka Lane for a small donation. They are by the garage door.  Please help us get these up in every neighborhood.

Also, thanks to all  of you that signed the petition in support of Chief Koval. Those petition will be delivered to the Council at their meeting Tuesday evening at 6:30 pm.“

And here we are. No amount of hotdogs, crafts, bastketball games, reading or fishing are going to fix this. Especially when Matt Kenny might be showing up. With everything that has happened and the leadership of this department fomenting (like that Koval word?!) the kinds of behaviors we see from the officers in the 4 incidents above, I worry that my assessment of 3 out of 4 officers being AWESOME is way too optimistic. The more I dig, the more stories I (and others) find and its disheartening. Amelia explains.

Dear Assistant Chief Gaber,

Yesterday, I was made aware of the fact that an MPD manager gave approval for MPD Officer Matt Kenny to be sent, on a horse, to a community center where Andrea Irwin’s children play. It is cruel to post the killer of their son/brother/grandson/friend at an event they’d likely attend as if their trauma and loss don’t matter.

And you have the gall to shame Brenda Konkel about something someone else posted on her facebook page? You don’t police the radical bigots who pop up on MPPOA and WPPA’s pages. Or on MPD’s page. You don’t even police the bigots in your own department.

Brenda houses the homeless. Brenda creates more opportunities, prevents more crimes of poverty and harm to those in financial hardship in a year than you have in the entirety of your career. Show some respect.

But since you brought it up…

Officer Amelia is probably a very nice person and I’m guessing her intention is authentic and good. She looks happy in the photograph you shared which is great. Her concept drew some comic relief (Knitting with a Firefighter. Caning with a City Attorney…) but also harsh scrutiny because MPD has chosen an adversarial relationship with their critics. That, and the concept of kicking back with civilians while on duty is a big problem and for the 50th time, here’s why:

An officer in uniform is required to police anyone in their presence. When they are in uniform, they do not trust the public – they are actively policing. Being policed is never comfortable for people in general let alone most People of Color. Adding crafts or basketball to the mix doesn’t change that. Officers’ still must enforce the law where ever they see or imagine it’s needed.

People keep saying this but apparently, not the right people. Specifically, People of Color keep saying this but apparently, not the right People of Color. You don’t listen to those most traumatized by police in this city but you instead back them into a corner, shame and alienate them as an abuser would their victim.

That is exactly how you’ve treated YGB and Freedom Inc.
That is how the Heenans and Irwins were treated by MPD Leadership.
That is how Genele Laird was treated.
That is how Chief Koval treated Sharon Irwin and council members.
That is how you treat the victims of OIFs.

While I can fully understand why you would hate the photos someone posted to Brenda’s thread, it’s not like that person found out who the Officer Amelia’s worst nightmare was and sent him/her on a horse to the library for craft time.

MPD Leadership sent Tony Robinson’s killer on a horse to the community center where Tony’s sister spends time in a neighborhood near Tony’s grandmother’s home. Own that disgusting, reckless, insensitive, divisive behavior, for once.

This is what an adversarial relationship looks like and it is the relationship you have chosen. We have asked to work together. You can’t take criticism so you choose to be an adversary and so it goes.

Officer Amelia and the resources that have her in the Library making crafts would be better spent training officers on de-escalation. They’d be better spend weeding out the bigots on MPD who still say things like “we don’t run away like little girls” when asked why they don’t retreat instead of kill people.

You want genuine trust? Get rid of the bigots and the warriors. They can grow up somewhere else. If an officer cannot understand why a child of the New Jim Crow is angry with law enforcement and demands change, they don’t have the history, the skin, the competence, intellect or compassion for the job. Stop hiring them and no crafts needed. Again, listen to those most impacted by police interactions. Here is what they have said:

If officers are to get to know the public and build trust through games, cookouts and crafts they should do so by engaging off the job, with their families, without the gun and badge. They are being asked to live amongst the people they serve. What do you all do? What does Koval do? The opposite. He sets a terrible example for his officers. For instance:

He doesn’t live among the people he serves.
You don’t either.
He threatens people who disagree with him, including elected officials.
He calls people names who ask questions he doesn’t like.
He screams at people who present stats he doesn’t like.
He compared a group of Black leaders in our city to children.
He doesn’t care about the rules that govern his position.
He doesn’t listen to his executive staff.
He doesn’t listen to his critics.
Neither do you.
He listens to those parroting what he’s already saying.
He sent Matt Kenny on a horse to the community center where Andrea Irwin’s kids play and near where her mother lives.
So did you.
He lied about whether or not it’s possible to have a higher deadly force standard in his dept. than that set by the state and SCOTUS
He lies about how OIFs are truly investigated.
He lies about why officers shoot center mass instead of a leg.
He lies about MPD already doing everything re: deadly force recommended by PERF and the Pres. Task Force.
He mocks compassion.
He would not sit with loved ones involved in OIFs to hear how their experiences were when their loved one’s cases were being investigated by MPD
He won’t come to near-East side community centers as he does with all others when we have had the majority of OIFs in the past 12 years.
He has a captain who, while using an alias, harassed a Black community leader on facebook.

You’ve got your hands full, Sir.

MPD leadership continues to lash out and then play a victim, waste time and energy launching flimsy PR campaigns against this community’s strongest humanitarians while you remain 100% averse to acknowledging your own errors. As long as you continue to with this charade and only address surface issues with the public, the adversarial relationship you have with some in the public will continue to grow as will your number of adversaries.

An obvious choice is before you.

Amelia Royko Maurer

Furthermore, if Officer Amelia is going to be the person that shows up 10 years later when that child is having a mental wellness challenge or a bad trip – then great. But chances are, it will be one of 400 – 500 other officers . . . and it might not be one of the 3 out of 4, it might be the fourth one. And at that point, nothing Officer Amelia did making crafts is going to make a difference.

And here we are. I don’t know how we got here, and honestly, I’m not sure how to get out of this. But without some acknowledgement of the problem from the police department and an honest attempt to dialogue with critics . . . we’re going farther and farther away from resolution.