Thank You: Madison Youth and Family Services Honor Madison Police
After the shooting of police officers in Dallas this summer, members of Madison Youth & Family Services (MYFS) decided to start a conversation about police in the Madison community. After months of soliciting comments and opinions from residents, MYFS presented officers with a poster and letter highlighting the community’s appreciation for local police officers at the Board of Police Commissioners meeting on Nov. 10.
Starting in July, MYFS members took community chalkboards around town as a part of a police appreciation campaign and asked residents to write down comments of appreciation and support for law enforcement. MYFS Director Scott Cochran said talking about the role of police in the Madison community is important and timely.
“For all of us it was reflecting on what was going on in the country, but also how incredibly important the relationship is between a town and its police department,” he said. “It comes down to something as simple as trust and how elemental that is in a community especially when you have to deal within different groups within a community.”
Cochran said recognizing the positive impact of police in the community is particularly important in Madison, as the department has undergone significant changes since widespread corruption was uncovered in the department back in 2008.
“Since Chief Jack Drumm has become chief, it really has become very different here and when the officers have been in our building or they have called us out into the community, they just have exhibited such professionalism and it is great to see and experience,” he said. “I do remember a time when that was not the case.”
Residents seem to have acknowledged the change as well based on what was written on the chalkboards. Cochran said the chalkboard was filled several times over with comments like “Thank you for your commitment,” “I respect our police,” and “Thank you for saving my life.”
All of the comments were complied into one large poster that was presented to the police and the Police Commission as a thank you. Drumm said he was touched by the presentation.
“I have been at this a long time—in different countries and all over this country—and in all my years I have never had somebody present or support the police to this degree the way you folks did,” he said. “It said a lot more than any other message. It didn’t have to come from the White House, it came from you folks, so it means a lot.”
Captain Joe Race, who was also on hand to accept the poster, said he appreciated the poster, but also wanted to highlight the good work done by MYFS in the community. According to Race, the police and MYFS have developed a strong bond to collectively support the youth and families of Madison.
“It is amazing the amount of support they [MYFS] are showing us but equally [it is] what they do for us when we go to calls…When we get calls in the middle of the night for a distressed juvenile or a family in need, when we make these calls to Scott and the entire staff, they come out for us,” he said. “So as much as this is a testament to us, I think everyone needs to understand how much they do for the community to benefit us.”
First Selectman Tom Banisch said he was pleased with gesture made by MYFS.
“I am very proud of our police department and I am very proud of our Youth & Family Services group for coming up with this idea and executing it so well,” he said.