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/NEflIFO • SHERIFF JEROME D. LACKE DANE COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT =�0�5`7 GR-17, City-County Building, Madison, Wisconsin 53709 "k "" (608) 266-4970 FAX (608) 267-4134 STEPHEN S. NOLAN,Chief Deputy 266-4929 DATE: January 23, 1989 TO: Agriculture, Environment and Land Records Committee and other County Board Supervisors FROM: Jerome D. Lacke Sheriff of Dane County RE: January 19 Memo Request from Co. Bd. Chair, R. Richard Wagner This is in response to the above subject memo requesting my department's perspective regarding traffic enforcement and other law enforcement issues pertaining to the proposed Rutland race track. My comments are somewhat limited as neither I nor members of my staff have seen the actual proposal. We have, however, read the impact statement prepared by the staff of the Dane County Regional Planning Commission. I am also advised that the Dane County Traffic Safety Commission has discussed the traffic enforcement issues, and it was agreed by the State engineer and the Dane County Highway Commissioner that decisions on traffic flow and control could not be made until a formal traffic study was conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. My staff feels strongly, however, that the roads leading to the track, as they presently exist, would create traffic problems/accidents exceeding our capabilities based on current available staffing. This obviously would increase personnel overtime costs. Additionally, the projected influx of 800,000 people per year to the site will undoubtedly create a demand for other law enforcement services, i.e. , traffic accidents, security, thefts, disorderly persons, etc. Such situations, of course, also have the potential of creating additional overtime costs, but to what extent is unknown. In checking, we found that the City of Dubuque, Iowa Police Department provides law enforcement services to the Dubuque dog track using officers on scheduled overtime. The costs incurred are paid back directly to the City by the track. It has been the Dubuque Police Department's experience that only one officer supplemented by private security inside the facility has been adequate. However, the track is in the City and backup is quickly provided by police patrol units assigned in the vicinity. Since the Rutland track is located in a rural area where backup may be a considerable distance away, it may require at least two deputies at each performance inside the facility. It should be noted that the auto racing track formerly on this site was required by the Dane County Board to have two deputy sheriff's at each performance at their expense. If you should have any specific questions feel free to contact me. JDL:bp