Madison Community Members,

We are reaching out today to request our community members’ assistance and to raise awareness regarding a topic of community concern.  Both the Madison Public Schools administration and the Madison Police Department have observed a vandalism trend that is affecting some of our school restrooms and the newly constructed Dodge Field Playhouse restrooms. This behavior appears consistent with widely known social media posts that encourage young people to deface, vandalize, and steal bathroom fixtures and equipment. 

It is important to note that the vast majority of MPS students, community members and visitors that use the facilities in school and at Dodge Field are respectful and treat our property with respect. We are grateful for the caretaking spirit that is a part of our community values. 

To help prevent future incidents, we would like to ask all community members to be vigilant in reporting any such behavior that may occur in our community. If you are the parent of a child that has observed or knows of such vandalism, we ask that you kindly discuss this information with them. If you learn of any acts of vandalism, or if you witness any concerning behavior yourself, please contact your child’s school or the Madison Police Department at 973-593-3000, as appropriate. If you would like to remain anonymous when reporting, please download the RSVP-3 app from Google Play or the App Store and use the options provided. 

Any individuals that may be identified in a report will be considered innocent until proven guilty and treated with dignity. All community members should be aware, however, that vandalism is a criminal act and may be treated as such. Additionally, all schools and Dodge Field are under 24-hour video surveillance. 

Thank you for your cooperation and efforts as we continue to keep Madison a clean and safe place to live, learn, work, and visit. 

Sincerely,

Mark Schwarz, Superintendent of Schools

John Miscia, Chief of Police