MADISON (WKOW) -- The Associated Students of Madison passed a Vote of No Confidence in the University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department at a meeting Tuesday night.
In a news release, the UW-Madison Student Council said this vote signifies a lack of confidence and trust in the UWPD due to their presence at the protests off campus, failure to comply with the #8cantwaitstandards, and unwillingness to meet all or most of the reforms requested by ASM leaders and students.
"We have given a voice to those who have fought too long to be heard, and I’m looking forward to working with UWPD on how to renew trust between them and students,” said ASM Grant Allocation Chair Samuel Jorudd who originally brought forth the idea.
Read the full press release below:
UWPD responded to the vote overnight:
The College Republicans of the University of Wisconsin-Madison put out a statement Tuesday in support of UWPD:
“The Associated Students of Madison’s scheduled vote of no confidence in the the University of Wisconsin-Madison Police (UWPD) demonstrates just how little ASM takes account for the wellbeing of all students. The College Republicans of UW-Madison stand in strong support of UWPD and oppose any efforts to defund or dismantle the department or prevent the department from adequately protecting the campus community.
“We are extremely disappointed that our College Democrat counterparts would take such aradical stanceon condemning the UWPD and making statements about the UWPD that aredemonstrably false.UWPD has repeatedly supported police reform and is an integral part of keeping our campus community safe. UWPD is an essential part of keeping our campus community safe, and ASM’s scheduled no-confidence vote does nothing to protect the well-being of students or make any meaningful progress on policy considerations.
“We’ve seen this summer that when state and local leaders sit back and do nothing, destruction and violence occurs. While we can certainly engage in a conversation about reforming the police, ASM’s refusal to sit for another meeting with UWPD before introducing the no-confidence vote demonstrates that ASM has no real intention to make the constructive changes that our community would like to see -- they simply want to virtue signal to the far left.”
In addition to the Vote of No Confidence, the Student Council unanimously passed legislation that calls for academic support for students during COVID-19.
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