The Madison Police Department is a progressive agency committed to the philosophy of community- oriented policing. We are a diverse department with an authorized strength of 366 commissioned personnel and 74 civilian personnel serving in partnership a diverse community of approximately 200,000 residents.
Many people refer to community-oriented policing as a strategy or tactic.
We believe community policing is much more than that, it is a total philosophy. Two essential elements to the philosophy include quality, personalized service and a customer service orientation. The following pages will provide you with greater insight into the philosophical values that serve as the foundation on which our employees deliver services to the people who live, learn, work and play in Madison. We are committed to adopting a problem solving model of policing in which we address the root causes of problems rather than implementing only a quick fix. Members of the Department are encouraged to try new and otherwise non- traditional policing methods in working with the community and other government agencies.