Dane County  
Minutes - Final Unless Amended by  
Committee  
Commission on Sensitive Crimes  
Consider: Who benefits? Who is burdened?  
Who does not have a voice at the table?  
How can policymakers mitigate unintended consequences?  
Tuesday, January 18, 2022  
8:30 AM  
A. Call To Order  
Guests and staff present: Jennifer Ginsburg, Peter Grimyser, Marlys Howe, Amy Scarr,  
Allison Schlotz, and Howard Thomas  
Chair Miyasaki called the meeting to order at 8:31 a.m.  
7 -  
Present  
Absent  
SHANNON BARRY, BETH FREEMAN, SHARYL KATO, Supervisor MAUREEN  
McCARVILLE, Chair JAN MIYASAKI, DANA PELLEBON, and GREG ESSER  
4 -  
AMY BROWN, HEATHER CROWLEY, KRISTA EWERS-HAYES, and Supervisor  
CECELY CASTILLO  
B. Consideration of Minutes  
MINUTES FROM NOVEMBER 16, 2021  
2021  
MIN-539  
Attachments: 2021_1116 COSC Minutes  
A motion was made by FREEMAN, seconded by BARRY, to approve the minutes.  
The motion carried by a voice vote 7-0.  
C. Action Items  
D. Presentations  
None.  
None.  
E. Reports to Committee  
1. Agency Updates  
• Ginsburg reported 2021 was Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center's busiest in 22  
years, with more than 400 forensic interviews conducted. Approximately 20% of its cases  
were outside of Dane County.  
• Scarr reported Dane County I/DD Victim Advocate Cortney Doescher-Hino is on  
extended leave and cases are being assigned to other Adult Protective Services  
investigators. The Collaborative Stabilization Coalition will host a lunch and learn on  
February 17 that will include updates from law enforcement, on the development of the  
Dane County Triage & Restoration Center, and on the CARES (Community Alternative  
Response Emergency Services) Team working in downtown Madison.  
• Barry reported Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (DAIS) hopes to hire a legal  
advocate this week and continues to recruit for a bilingual/bicultural legal advocate. A  
small number of COVID-19 cases have been diagnosed among those using the DAIS  
shelter. The shelter has been closed and its occupants housed in hotels while the facility  
receives a deep cleaning. DAIS had a record number of first-time callers in 2021.  
• Kato reported The Rainbow Project is seeing increasing referrals, more delays in  
court cases and an increase in communities of color needing basic human needs. A  
nurse has been hired to begin working with psychiatrists in February. A major filtration  
upgrade is underway at the office. Groups remain underway in county schools.  
• Schlotz reported 493 individuals received Forensic Nurse Examination services at  
UnityPoint Health - Meriter in 2021 -- down from the high mark in 2019. The NOC shifts  
on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays remain unstaffed, but a recent hire is training  
and is expected to begin taking cases in late January.  
• Pellebon reported the Rape Crisis Center (RCC) is seeking a bilingual/bicultural  
advocate, is expanding therapy services, and two new therapists are beginning work.  
Efforts are underway to expand FNE support services at Planned Parenthood, which  
would be RCC's third site.  
• Esser reported COVID-19 illness is impacting Madison Police Department patrol  
services. Shift changes will occur the first week of February, with officers at all levels  
taking new assignments. Special Victims Unit Detective Sergeant Julie Johnson plans to  
retire soon and Matt Norquist will replace her. Many of the department's detectives are  
currently attending court cases. To help alleviate patrol staffing issues, the Community  
Policing Teams will merge, cutting the number of teams in half. The West District has  
seen an uptick of investigations involving vulnerable adults in care facilities. Weapons  
were discharged during a pair of carjackings over the weekend.  
• Howe thanked Supervisor McCarville for sponsoring a resolution approved by the  
County Board for a BAWA regional prosecutor grant position in the District Attorney's  
Office.  
2. CCR Updates  
Child Abuse & Neglect: A trauma summit with a focus on secondary trauma will be held  
virtually on 21 January.  
Elder Abuse: There wasn't a meeting in January. In 2022, the CCR will meet every other  
month, as will the Financial Abuse Specialist group. Planning for World Elder Abuse  
Awareness Day (15 June 2022) will begin this week.  
I/DD: The group will meet on 19 January and hear a presentation on the I/DD population  
and sexuality.  
Domestic Violence/Sexual Abuse: Two surveys were distributed to members -- one to  
survivors and one to non-survivors -- seeking input about how the recently combined CCR  
should move forward. The deadline to return the surveys is 31 January.  
Child Sexual Exploitation Subcommittee: The group is seeking to collect data on  
marginalized groups who are unlikely to report crimes.  
3. Anti-Spyware Project Update  
Barry reported UW-Madison Assistant Professor Rajul Chatterjee and his group of  
volunteers completed DAIS' 30-hour advocate training and have examined the electronic  
equipment of a small number of DAIS clients. In one case, spyware was discovered.  
Chatterjee requires that an advocate be present so that if spyware is found, a safe plan  
for dealing with it can be formulated. Barry suggested that other agencies who may be  
interested in using the anti-spyware services contact Chatterjee directly.  
Attendance Update  
Pellebon departed the meeting at 9:30 a.m.  
6 -  
Present  
Absent  
SHANNON BARRY, BETH FREEMAN, SHARYL KATO, Supervisor MAUREEN  
McCARVILLE, Chair JAN MIYASAKI, and GREG ESSER  
5 -  
AMY BROWN, HEATHER CROWLEY, DANA PELLEBON, KRISTA  
EWERS-HAYES, and Supervisor CECELY CASTILLO  
4. Legislative Updates/Annoucements  
Supervisor McCarville reported that 86 members of the public testified at a recent County  
Board meeting regarding Public Health Madison & Dane County's mask mandate during  
the COVID-19 pandemic, with the majority saying the Board should not get involved. The  
Board voted overwhelming not to get involved. Approximately 12 supervisors have opted  
not to run for reelection in April and two incumbents will face challengers. Moving the  
Dane County Jail project forward continues to be a high priority for the Board.  
F. Future Meeting Items and Dates  
Next meeting: Tuesday, 15 February 2022, 8:30 am. via Zoom  
G. Public Comment on Items not on the Agenda  
None.  
H. Such Other Business as Allowed by Law  
None.  
I. Adjournment  
The meeting adjourned at 9:48 a.m.  
Minutes respectfully submitted by Howard Thomas pending commission approval