Brittingham Park Safety Save Email Print
Reporter: Evrod Cassimy
Email Address: ECassimy@nbc15.com

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"The goal is to enhance the legitimate use of the park and make the park safe and enjoyable for everyone," says assistant to the mayor, Joel Plant.

After constant complaints about problematic behavior in Brittingham Park the city is taking action. Wednesday night a proposal released by the mayor's office to attack the problem head on was unveiled before a meeting with the Board of Park Commissioners .

"We've got a variety of people causing trouble at Brittingham Park," says Plant. "When we talk about trouble I'm talking about everything from violent behavior all the way down to loud noise. There's drug usage there's a lot of alcohol consumption that fuels a lot of this behavior."

The proposal mainly calls for security cameras in and around the park to deter this type of behavior. Other fixes would include improved lighting at night, remodeling the park's shelter and cooperation with local liquor stores selling alcohol to known abusers. Many of these are already in the works.

"We've decided to pull 4 pack beer," says Capitol Centre Market assistant manager, Mike Bahneman. "Once they are gone we are no longer going to restock them and it's going to help keep out some of the less desirable individuals."

The plan was created by several city agencies, advocacy groups and service providers. Putting cameras in the park requires much more discussion but the future of Brittingham Park does look safer.

"I hope that by really going at this by a broad humanistic and police enforcement approach and environmental approach that we can really improve conditions in the park really for everybody, for all Madisonians," says alder Julia Kerr.

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Posted by: Sara Location: Madison on Apr 10, 2008 at 06:46 PM
It's interesting to me that the big solution to every problem in the city is to add security cameras. Problems on State Street? Throw up some cameras! Problems on the buses? More cameras! If a person is that intent on doing something unlawful, a camera isn't going to change that intent. There are better ways to deal with this; it seems that right now the city is just coming up with whatever it can to shut the neighbors up and get the heat off. A novel approach would be to take a good hard look at how we deal with the homeless situation here in Madison, and from there come up with reasonable, feasible solutions. The problem isn't going to go away that simply, and I can't believe that so many of the city officials seem to think it will.

Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 10, 2008 at 11:28 AM
Put a fence around it and close it at night. That is the least expensive solution. If it is not a safe place, it should be supervised or locked up-there is no other way. Either put a person there to monitor the spot all night or just lock the fence after 9pm. You could try writing tickets. That would deter the thugs. But, that takes a human being there.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Madison on Apr 10, 2008 at 09:14 AM
I understand the people who live in that Neighborhood. But if nothing gets done to take care of the homeless problem, then where are those people are supposed to go to. Putting all that Money into that Park will not be the answer either. Every Park that we go to has times posted, why not that one. People are so quick to blame our Police force for not doing more, which is rubish, they are doing the best they can and then some. Put the blame where it belongs, towards our Law makers.

Posted by: amazed Location: madison on Apr 10, 2008 at 08:01 AM
Cameras? Humanistic and environmental approach? How about we just put up a sign that says "please be nice". That outta work as well. And seriously, stopping the sale of 4 packs of beer means they buy a 6 pack. Watch, people, the next step will be banning alcohol altogether and forcing people to buy a permit to occupy the park so all the law abiding citizens can suffer. And still the criminals get free reign.

Posted by: Joel Location: Madison on Apr 10, 2008 at 02:05 AM
This park has been a problem for decades. The police were trying to address the same issue when David Cooper was police chief. Lets keep throwing money at the same problem.