The UW-Madison Police Department is a full-service law enforcement agency on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus in Madison, WI.
We are leaders in innovative problem-oriented policing. We value diversity and respect the dignity of all people. We uphold individual and constitutional rights and promote campus community wellbeing through collaborative approaches to ensuring safety.
Serving in partnership to support and facilitate the educational mission of UW-Madison, we seek to cultivate a campus environment in which all students, faculty, and staff are safe.
As guardians on the UW-Madison campus, we hold ourselves to high expectations — operating in a fair, unbiased manner which respects the rights and dignity of all individuals. We strive to always be better and do better.
Contact Us
If this is an emergency,
please call 911 immediately.
To contact UW–Madison Police to file a police report, speak with an officer, or for other general inquiries, call our dispatch center at 608-264-2677.
For more information about our location and ways to contact us, visit our Contact Us page.
Leadership
Brent Plisch
Interim Chief of Police
brent.plisch@wisc.edu
Brent Plisch joined the UW-Madison Police Department in 2005 as a police officer, and has served in a variety of roles with the department. Prior to his appointment to Interim Chief in February 2024, Plisch served as the Assistant Chief for Administration and Support, with leadership oversight of emergency management, access control and video systems, human resources, finances, IT, and professional standards. Plisch has previously held roles as administrative captain, detective lieutenant and sergeant, patrol sergeant, Explosive Detection K9 handler, field training officer, bike officer, and patrol officer on all three patrol shifts.
Plisch graduated from Winona State University with a B.S. in Sociology and is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Center for Public Safety School of Police Staff and Command. Plisch also completed the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police held at Boston University.
Prior to his public safety career, Plisch served as a captain in the US Army’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized). He served as a platoon leader, assistant operations officer, and a battalion staff officer. He served at Fort Carson, Colorado and completed a tour of duty in Iraq.
