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Police Incident Reports
Incidents listed are selected by the Officer In Charge of each shift that may have significant public interest. Incidents listed are not inclusive of all incidents. Requests for information can be directed to the MPD Records Unit: (608) 266-4075.
Incident Report for Case #2012-290745
Incident Type
Check PropertyIncident Date
10/10/2012 - 9:14 AMAddress
30 W. Mifflin St.Details
On Wednesday morning, Madison Police discovered a large number of items left on city property between the Wisconsin Veteran's Museum, 30 W. Mifflin St., and State St. Based upon previous complaints in this area police have been pro-actively working for months to educate citizens that is illegal to leave or abandon property in public right-of-ways, sidewalks, or cul-de-sacs. Officers have been informing people that violators could be ticketed, and abandoned property could be discarded. In the vast majority of cases, the MPD has been able to obtain voluntary compliance. Yesterday, a significant amount of property was discovered. It included grocery bags, trash bags, and containers of alcohol. There were bed rolls, suitcases, and cardboard boxes. Many of the items were wet, and appeared to have been left there for several days. There was no identification on the property. An officer spent well over an hour contacting numerous people in the area attempting to determine ownership, but was unsuccessful. The officer then contacted Mall Maintenance staff and asked that the property be removed. Mall Maintenance responded with a truck and the abandoned property was taken to a city facility on Olin Ave. Chief Noble Wray said it is a "tough job" to manage public spaces, particularly near the Capitol Square where property – with no identification - is often abandoned, or left unattended for long periods of time. We have continued to work with City of Madison Parks Department staff with regards to best practices in removing property from the Mall-Concourse. It can be very difficult to determine the value of some found property given that it often times contains perishable items, biohazards, soiled-clothing, and wet items. In addition, in the post 9-11 era, unattended backpacks and other items are subject to suspicion by citizens and by law enforcement. The MPD's intent was not to deprive anyone of their personal property, but to enforce the law and maintain safety. Chief Wray also wants the community to know that officers working in this area continue to treat all people with dignity and respect. City staff is in the process of reconnecting the confiscated property with those who have claimed ownership.Released 10/11/2012 at 1:38 PM by PIO Joel DeSpain
The location shown is approximate & may not be accurate.