Fiscal Note
Any expenditures for this expanded program will be fully offset by donations. No appropriation is required.
Title
Authorizing the Mayor, City Clerk and Chief of Police to accept donations of cash, goods and services for the purpose of addressing the conditions that give rise to public safety issues regarding social networking, cell phones, online gaming, and the Internet (cyber safety).
Body
PREAMBLE
For the past two years, a group of officers from the Madison Police Department have formed a technology committee to develop community presentations covering major topics in cyber safety. This committee has worked collectively with educators, parents, and the community developing problem solving techniques to proactively address the conditions that give rise to public safety issues regarding social networking, cell phones, on-line gaming, and the Internet. Department members have presented at national and state conferences, and to parent teacher organizations and other community groups.
The Department developed a curriculum and offers free monthly classes on these topics to the community. For example, parents wanting to understand Facebook learn how to register for an account, upload photos, search for people, and properly set their families privacy settings. Because of the popularity and demands of the program, the Department created a DVD for distribution nationwide. The DVD in its current form has been distributed statewide to parent teacher organizations, school administrators, and law enforcement agencies.
This past summer the Department worked together in partnership with Middle School U, which offers educational and enrichment classes to middle school students. The students were "sworn in" as "MPD Cyber Detectives" and worked together with the Officers and Detectives from the Department to solve a cyberbullying case. The students expressed such an overwhelming response to their parents and program director that this pilot program will now be offered annually. With the recognized need to educate students, the Department worked together with the graduating students from ITT Technical Institute to offer a summer youth camp to high school students mirroring the Middle School U program. The summer camp will begin accepting registration this spring for classes to begin this summer.
The Department began working with area businesses, educators, and nonprofit organizations in an effort to bring in national sponsors such as Microsoft, Google, Epic, and Facebook. Now the Department have written curricula for law enforcement and will begin offering training statewide this April for agencies to learn about social networking and using it as an investigative tool.
Our efforts include members from the University of Wisconsin, Magna Publications, American Printing, UW Children's Hospital, United Health, A Fund for Women, ITT Technical College, In Business, Johnson Bank, and the Madison Metropolitan School District.
WHEREAS, the demand for presentations and information on cyber safety continues to rise because very few departments offer this type of community service; and
WHEREAS, the Department currently has conferences and presentations booked through this year on sexual predators, identity theft, online dating and online gaming; and
WHEREAS, any funds received would be used to furnish relevant equipment (such as Xbox, PS3, FosCam), software, binders and the production and duplication of DVDs.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Madison, through the Madison Police Department, is authorized to accept donations of cash, goods and services for cyber safety initiatives (GN01-73212-712100-00-7110000).
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that funds collected through these sources will be utilized for costs associated for work supplies and services associated with the implementation and success of these initiatives (GN01-55510-712100-00-7110000; GN01-54901-712100-00-7110000).
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Police Department budget be amended to increase work supplies and services expenditures by the amount of any donations received for this initiative and offset by revenue of the amount of donations, goods and services received for this initiative.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that any funds not spent shall be carried forward for future cyber safety initiatives.