MADISON (WKOW) -- The Madison Police Department is providing guidance on how to identify their officers in light of the recent incident in Minnesota, where lawmakers and their families were targeted by a shooter impersonating an officer.
Stephanie Fryer, the Public Information Officer for the Madison Police Department, says all of their officers wear identifiable uniforms, including a vest, their badge with a number, and their on-duty firearm.
Even officers who are not in the traditional blue uniform are identifiable, Fryer said.
"They'll have to wear something that you know identifies them as being a Madison Police Department employee, whether that's a sweatshirt, T-shirt that says that on there. They'll also be required to wear a logo or a patch," she said.
The department is urging the public to stay alert and take extra steps to verify an officer’s identity if anything feels suspicious.
“You can ask officers to identify themselves by their name and their badge number,” she said, but to take it a step further, people can call dispatch to inquire if, in fact, an officer was supposed to be at their home.
This guidance follows the case of Vance Boelter, the suspect in the Minnesota shooting, who used a commonly used police phrase while at Senator John Hoffman’s home. “This is police, open the door,” Boelter shouted.
This can create a sense of false urgency, as Boelter was not a real officer. Fryer said your response should depend on the situation at hand.
“If you are involved in an active shooter situation, obviously, you know, our goal is to prevent, the loss of life,” Fryer said, acknowledging that there may be no time to verify identification during such emergencies.
Otherwise, she says people can call to confirm, including for unmarked cars.
"They'll be equipped with lights and other, you know, features that you would normally see in an emergency responding vehicle. And then there are, like, certain numbers assigned to each vehicle that people can identify them as being a Madison police vehicle," she said.
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