Get Miffed!

A few thoughts today regarding Mifflin. If you haven't read, Mifflin Block Party is now without an official sponsor.

My first real Mifflin was last year, and my best memory of that day (how many of you can remember your Mifflin?) was chilling on a second-story porch with a few friends, the sun just starting to set, and the music from a band drifting in from across the street and two doors down. The band was playing classic rock, which is far and away my music preference over rap or newer things. We were mostly people watching, and something struck me (not literally).

Nearly every confrontation between an individual and a police officer ended in handcuffs and a nice sit in the Metro Prison Bus. While a great source of entertainment to me, I'm now wondering "why?"

Without sponsorship this year, I'm guessing police presence will be pretty high. High enough where you could probably commit a crime anywhere in Dane County outside of those two blocks on Mifflin, because that's where every cop will be.

Since we don't really want to see the high arrest levels we've seen before, but we don't want to compromise safety, here's an idea: don't end everything with an arrest.

Since 2004, MPD policy has been to arrest first, then either cite the offender or take them to jail or detox, or both. The problem is, that many of these people sit handcuffed in either the Prison Bus or the local precinct while the police file paperwork. It takes forever, because there's not enough manpower to go through all the work. So, a new approach is probably necessary.

I say, cite first. Open intoxicant? You get the booze taken away, and issued a maximum-fine citation right then and there (that's about $500, I think). Since you need to carry that slip on you so you can pay it later, if you get caught again, then you get arrested. Obviously, those who are a danger to themselves or others need to be cuffed immediately.

I think a plan along these lines, a "catch-and-release" so to speak, will work and provide a number of benefits.

1) Students are a little more wary of a major fine, because they often can't afford to pay.
2) Student resentment of police will be lower if fewer arrests are made.
3) Fewer people will be sitting for five or six hours in handcuffs, and those in handcuffs can be processed faster.

Hopefully, something along these lines can create a more peaceful Mifflin Block Party. But I'm not an expert on this topic, so take it for what it's worth.