A few items . . . 1. Some progress, albeit slow progress, is being made with the police staffing / budget issue. But make no mistake - we're making a difference! Keep writing. http://www.supportmadisonpolice.com/keep-writing-youre-making-a-difference-madison-pd-finance-update/ 2. Big problems at the county level. David Blaska (who's also a key member of our group) blogs about this critical issue: http://www.supportmadisonpolice.com/dane-county-jail-debacle/ 3. Quick note . . . Our mission is to support & defend Chief Koval and the men & women of the Madison Police Department, several of whom we have come to cherish. We're here for THEM, and will do what's in THEIR best interest. We're not here to win a popularity contest, gain status, travel the cocktail circuit, find jobs, make money from this, or the like. Law enforcement - both here and in Madison - is at a crossroads. I'd personally go as far to say that the profession is nearing crisis mode. Borne of necessity, we delve into the political & societal realms. As a result, AT TIMES our words may appear strongly-worded to SOME. If so, that's because we're dealing with challenging dynamics & factors, including a highly hostile anti-cop environment, an apathetic & misinformed public (exceptions noted), and politicians who work against law enforcement. If you're looking from the outside in and would like to know what we're up against, please check out our non-monetized website, attend public meetings, and feel free to email me with questions at paula@supportmadisonpolice.com We inhabit a world in which meaningful issues have been condensed to sound bytes & headlines, where people mis-perceive meaning & intent. We don't have the luxury or resources to indulge this. We're citizen volunteers with full-time jobs and / or other obligations. We're doing the very best we can with an extremely challenging, multi-factorial issue in uncertain times. All the best. --Paula Fitzsimmons