Neighbors and police gather for ‘fireside’ conversation

 South district neighbors and officers gather for snacks and conversation. (Officer Mike Barcheski / Madison Police Department)

Mark Cotter, a resident of Madison’s Northside, had 14 neighbors and two police officers over to his Eken Park home in March. They ate cookies and Rice Krispies treats, drank juice and discussed how neighbors and community officers could better understand each other. 

The gathering was part of a new initiative called Fireside Five-Oh Living Room Conversations.

Residents are taking turns hosting local police officers and neighbors at their homes in an effort to make personal connections and discuss local concerns and topics of interest.

Cotter immediately volunteered to be a host after learning about the program. “I heard about Five-Oh and thought this is a great idea because I care about my environment and the people I encounter everyday,” he said.

The project, which originated in Seattle, Washington, was designed to improve trust and transparency between police and local citizens. Northside Neighborhood Resource Officer David J. Dexheimer pioneered the project in the Madison area. He hopes the conversations will generate better dialogue and interpersonal relationships between his colleagues and the community.

“We want people to meet the men and women who are out there literally 24 hours a day serving the neighborhoods,” Dexheimer said. The talks are a chance for both neighbors and officers to talk about themselves on a personal level.

Dexheimer said Five-Oh conversations can also increase community safety because officers are establishing strong, dependable relationships with the people they serve. While the conversations are designed to take place in a casual, social atmosphere, those who attend often use the time to gain a better understanding about issues such as drug use and local crime, matters that might not be discussed in detail at larger community settings. 

Dexheimer strives for the focus to be on building relationships.

“We talk about the problems that are on everyone’s minds, yes, but we want to shy away from a meeting or crime discussion because it’s more than that,” Dexheimer emphasized. “We think if you get to know the folks that are out there, then there will be a sense of trust. It’s beyond looking at the nameplate because I’m not just an officer, you know? I’m David.”

Since the successful conversation at Cotter’s home, interest in Five-Oh has grown. Another Eken Park resident will host a conversation in April, and other neighborhoods have joined in. Madison’s South district recently held its first conversation.

Cotter said the conversations help break down the common “us and them” stereotype between residents and police officers and help people to connect on a human level. “I’ve always looked at police officers as faceless blue uniforms, but Five-Oh gets us all to know each other as people.” 

For more information about Fireside Five-Oh Living Room Conversations, contact Officer David Dexheimer at ddexheimer@cityofmadison.com.