Advisory boards help Madison police connect with community

MADISON, Wis. – For the past three years, members of the Madison Police Department participated in more than 150 meetings to help build and improve relationships with community members.

Between February 2023 and August 2026, MPD and the Madison Community Policing Foundation developed and supported Community Policing Advisory Boards (CPABs) across all six of the department's patrol districts. The initiative aimed to promote trust and legitimacy between MPD and the community by amplifying voices that have traditionally gone unheard – in particular their concerns, questions and ideas about making Madison a safer place for all.

“Community is not a supporting actor in public safety; it is the foundation," said LaTrease Hibbler, who serves as one of the advisors in the East District. “Public safety begins with the conditions people experience every day: having a safe place to live, opportunities for young people, support for families and neighbors who look out for one another."

The advisory boards were established using a $175,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice COPS Community Policing Development Microgrant program, paired with the Madison Community Policing Foundation. They were made up of diverse community members with lived experience. Membership averaged 28 advisors and 71 percent non-white representation.

Members helped identify and prioritize at-risk and underserved neighborhoods across all districts, including affordable housing complexes, areas with elevated calls for service and locations affected by homelessness, youth safety concerns, drug use or recent incidents of violence.

“My involvement has shown me the whole other side of policing – the care for community and going above and beyond to make lives easier for many people in various housing units," said West Advisor Mrunalini Kulkarni.

Members also played a key role in planning citywide engagement efforts – including National Night Out, youth-focused programming, community safety forums and collaboration with MPD command staff and city oversight bodies. More than 50 community organizations engaged with the boards as partners in outreach, event planning and recruitment.

Overall, the CPAB initiative consistently demonstrated that community-driven engagement – particularly in neighborhoods experiencing disproportionate safety challenges – builds trust, strengthens legitimacy and supports more responsive, informed public safety strategies. The project's outcomes suggest that sustained multiracial advisory boards, community partnerships and event-based engagement can serve as a durable model for future community policing efforts.

“I have learned other people's perspectives on how to digest community issues and have gained a new respect for the job police officers have to do in their profession," said South Advisor Mr. Will R. Glenn Sr.

The Madison Community Policing Foundation created an executive summary featuring the work of the CPABs, which can be found on its website. The COPS grant is currently being phased out, and there will be a transition to new CPAB funding streams. 

National Community Policing Week runs from Oct. 4 -10.