According to a recently-ordered audit, police who are responsible for security in the Wisconsin Capitol responded faster to emergency alarms in legislative offices than they did to other building alarms, the Associated Press reports.
The report from the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau comes after a state senator in 2022 said she triggered the emergency alarm and no one responded. It also comes after security was again in the spotlight when an armed man entered the Capitol in October looking for Gov. Tony Evers.
Security at the Capitol is provided by a separate police division that is under control of the state Department of Administration. In addition to the high-profile Capitol building, the Capitol Police are also charged with providing security at state properties across Wisconsin and protecting the governor, state lawmakers, and members of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
The latest audit found that Capitol Police responded 4.3% faster to legislative alarms than they did on average to the 300 alarms triggered between 2021 and 2023; however, the audit recommended that Capitol Police do a better job of recording response times of officers and improving the agency’s assessment of those response times. That includes reporting on trends that could lead to additional training or guidance on how to respond.
The audit also recommends that Capitol Police do a better job of recruiting and retaining officers, including creating a mentorship program and bolstering training. The vacancy rate for Capitol Police positions increased from 17.3% in July 2021 to 18.2% in July 2023.
All of the audit’s recommendations have either already been implemented or are in the process of being done, said Department of Administration Secretary Kathy Blumenfeld in a written response to the report.
