Vision Zero: Lower Speed Limit on Gammon Road and Update on New Police Chief Search

Vision Zero: City to Lower Speed Limit on Gammon Road and McKenna Boulevard

Beginning Monday, December 7, the City of Madison will move to the next stage of speed changes in this city-wide effort for the Vision Zero initiative. Similar to the recent East Washington Ave, Milwaukee Street, and Raymond Road changes, digital signboards will temporarily be placed in the area to remind drivers of the speed limit changes.

The posted speed limit changes to expect:

• Gammon Road from Watts Road to Colony will change from 35 mph to 30 mph
• McKenna Boulevard from Raymond Road to Watts Road will also change from 35 mph to 30 mph.

On this 1.3 mile stretch of Gammon Road there were 20 injury crashes in 2019. McKenna Blvd from Watts to Raymond Rd had an additional 30 injury crashes in 2019 and 7 of those crashes involved people walking or biking. This area includes residential housing, a middle and high school, community centers, a busy park and numerous shopping areas. Lowering the speed limit even 5 mph helps ensure the safety of all who use our city streets especially children and people walking or biking.

City news release on previous reduction to East Washington Avenue
Vision Zero: City to Lower Speed Limit on East Washington Avenue
Vision Zero: City to Lower Speed Limit on Milwaukee Street
Vision Zero: City to Lower Speed Limit on Prairie Road

What is Vision Zero?
Vision Zero is a data driven strategy intended to eliminate traffic deaths and severe injuries on City streets by 2030 while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. For more information about the City of Madison's Vision Zero initiative and to sign up for Vision Zero news updates, please see www.cityofmadison.com/visionzero

Madison Police and Fire Commission Announces Police Chief Finalists

The Board of Police and Fire Commissioners of the City of Madison (PFC) has selected four (4) finalists who will advance in the hiring process for the position of Police Chief for the City of Madison. The PFC is pleased to announce the final candidates, together with a short biography and photograph from each candidate.

The PFC will conduct final interviews of the candidates on December 8, 2020. As a portion of the final interview process there will be a 35-minute recorded question and answer session with each candidate, which will be released for public viewing. The PFC utilized the community input received to date to inform all aspects of the search, but focused on this feedback to draft the questions for this section. With the assistance of the City's Information Technology Department, the PFC intends to publicly release the 35-minute recordings of each candidate on December 9, 2020. The PFC will conduct all of the final interviews in closed session to ensure a fair process. The recordings will be available at the following link: www.cityofmadison.com/PFC.

The PFC will be holding a Special Meeting on December 9, 2020, at 5:30 P.M., to discuss and deliberate on the final candidates. In addition, a regular meeting of the PFC is scheduled for December 14, 2020, at 5:30 P.M., at which the PFC may continue its discussion and deliberation, if necessary.

The PFC is grateful for all of the community input that it has received during this process. The community input has contributed greatly to this process.

The PFC has named the following final candidates:

Shon F. Barnes, PhD 

Dr. Shon F. Barnes is a nationally recognized leader in crime reduction and community-police relations. He is currently the Director of Training and Professional Development for the Civilian Office of Police Accountability in Chicago, Illinois. Barnes was most recently the Deputy Chief of Police in Salisbury, North Carolina (2017-2020) and a Captain with the Greensboro Police Department (NC) where he began his career as a patrol officer in the fall of 2000. Barnes was honored as a National Institute of Justice LEADS Scholar for using innovative technology to reduce crime and was recently selected as a member of the National Police Foundation's Council on Policing Reforms and Race.

Ramon S. Batista, Jr. 

Ramon Batista began his law enforcement career with the Tucson Police Department in 1986, working his way through the ranks in patrol, traffic division, police academy, public information, investigations, patrol captain, SWAT/Hostage commander, chief of staff, investigations bureau chief and chief of the patrol bureau. Ramon was appointed as the police chief of the Mesa, AZ police department in 2017 where he was recognized for his leadership in forging stronger bonds between the police and citizens; collaborating with community and department members in the creation of new policies and procedures. Ramon is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police Executive Research Forum, the Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force, the American Society of Evidence Based Policing and he is fellow at the National Police Foundation; Ramon holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Safety/Homeland Security and Master of Science degree in Leadership from Grand Canyon University. Ramon's experience led him to co-author "Do No Harm" a book on inspiring a cultural shift within law enforcement organizations where members feel informed, guided and empowered to act in alignment with community and organizational values as their foundation.

Christopher A. Davis 

Chris Davis currently serves as the Deputy Chief for the Portland Police Bureau, and has been a member of the Bureau's executive team since 2016. Deputy Chief Davis was appointed to the Portland Police Bureau on November 19, 1998, after previously working as a police officer for the Arizona State University Police Department. He has a Bachelor's Degree from Arizona State University, is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Major Cities Chiefs Association's Police Executive Leadership Institute, and is nearing completion of his Master's Degree in Public Safety Leadership and Administration from ASU.

Larry R. Scirotto

Assistant Chief Larry Scirotto (ret.) served with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for 23 years. He became inspired to be a police officer after seeing childhood friends become victims of street violence, all with the hope of making his community a safer place to live. Asst. Chief Scirotto's true inspiration was his mother who passed away early into his career, but always encouraged him to care for others, be accountable and never compromise his character. Asst. Chief Scirotto is an accomplished and highly dedicated law enforcement executive with more than 25 years of experience and was the youngest Assistant Chief in the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police history. He has 14 years of management and executive leadership with the Bureau. He began his executive leadership role as the commander of the Zone 3, the city's most known entertainment district, then was tasked with leading the Bureau's Major Crimes Division which included all violent crimes against persons. Asst. Chief Scirotto then ascended to lead the Professional Standards Branch which was responsible for Training & Education, Officer Wellness & Safety, and Policy & Oversight. Asst. Chief Scirotto earned his Bachelor's Degree from Ashworth University in Criminal Justice and will earn a Master's Degree in Organizational Development and Leadership from Saint Joseph's University in December 2020. He is a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff & Command. Asst. Chief Scirotto referee's Men's Collegiate Basketball for the Big Ten & Pac12 Conferences.

As always, if there is anything I can do to help, feel free to reach out: district19@cityofmadison.com

-Keith F