Mayor's Office

The following remarks were made by Mayor Satya on May 28, 2019 as 50 new recruits were sworn in as the 62nd class of Madison Police Recruits.

Welcome to the City of Madison. That’s City with a capital C – because today you begin representing City government.

Thank you – for serving our City.

You will learn a lot in the coming months and years. I don’t have to tell you to work hard – you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t already know the value of hard work.

I won’t tell you to strive for excellence – you’ve shown that you do. But I will ask you to strive for empathy – for each other, for your brothers and sisters in arms, and for those you serve.

I won’t emphasize the importance of commitment – you’ve made your commitment. But I will emphasize the importance of collaboration and compassion in the course of your duties.

And I won’t remind you of the importance of service – you are here because you know that. But I will remind you of the importance of self-care and mindfulness.

You will be asked to solve many problems, some you are not trained to solve, and some that cannot be solved. Learn to enjoy the easy solutions when they come. And when you’re faced with a complicated problem, do your best, and don’t forget the power of collaboration – with each other, with the rest of the force, with the entire city work force that is here to help solve our community’s problems, and the many resources around our city.

Building those relationships – with each other, with others in MPD, across city departments and across our community – will serve you well.

Thank you again for your service, and congratulations to you and your proud families as you embark on this exciting journey.