Crime in Madison Continues to Decline

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway says Madison is consistently one of the safest communities in the country, especially for a city of our size.

"To be clear, even one incident of violent crime is one too many. That's why we continue to work on ensuring we have a consistent and evidence-based approach to violence prevention," said Mayor Rhodes-Conway. "Eliminating violence in our community is not something that one agency can do alone. It requires proactive measures that go beyond just a law enforcement response. We are looking at the drivers of violence and working to find solutions that will lead to lasting change in our community."

One of the agencies engaged in this preventive work is Public Health Madison & Dane County's Violence Prevention Unit (VPU). Its violence prevention efforts include a Community Safety Intervention Team, supporting community healing following violent events, and victim services. Aurielle Smith, Director of the VPU, says this approach "emphasizes rapid response, community voices, and a long-term investment in healing and safety."

"We're grateful for the ongoing collaboration amongst law enforcement agencies, emergency responders, City and County agencies, and community," said Director Smith. "Together, we are not only reducing incidences, but we're building a stronger, safer and more connected City of Madison."

The Community Alternative Response Emergency Services (CARES) program is also an important component of public safety in Madison. Launched in 2021, Assistant Fire Chief Chris Hammes says CARES has expanded its coverage in recent years and responded to nearly 11,000 calls.

"CARES responds to behavioral emergencies that are non-violent in nature. They're staffed with a community paramedic and a Journey mental health crisis worker. Our CARES teams routinely refer individuals to a number of established community organizations so they are able to receive the services they need," said Assistant Chief Hammes. "Of note, only 2 percent of the individuals we encounter are transferred over to law enforcement. That's made a huge impact and freed up the Police Department's workload. CARES has been and will continue to be a valuable community asset."