Police officer stresses listening skills

Spend five minutes with Officer Heidi Golbach, standing on the west steps of Memorial Library outside her office, and she'll point out a half dozen of the characters she knows from her daily patrols of lower campus.

Spend an hour with Golbach as she makes her rounds, and it soon becomes clear that she knows the names and life stories of almost everyone who spends time near Library Mall, from homeless men to building managers.

Last Friday, Golbach started her afternoon confiscating beer from two drunk men, simultaneously making sure they had a place to spend the night. She moved on to Mosse Humanities and the Elvehjem, where she teased a longtime custodian about making a mess, and congratulated a homeless man who had just gotten a grant to return to school. A few minutes and two hugs later, Golbach was on the Union Terrace, supervising as a tow truck pulled a Hoofers boat trailer that was in danger of falling off the pier.

"The other officers call me maternal," says Golbach, "but sometimes all a person needs is someone to listen to them for five minutes, rather than the long arm of the law reaching out to snag them."

Golbach says she loves her new assignment, especially the problem-solving aspects of it. She works closely with building managers and supervisors on security issues, crime prevention and dealing with problem patrons, and is involved in "a whole collage of different activities," she says.

The UWPD initiated community policing in 1996 after a committee of students, staff, social service providers and civic leaders identified a community police officer position as its No. 1 recommendation for addressing safety and security concerns in the lower campus area. Golbach succeeded Officer Shane Driscoll in June. Driscoll and his K-9 partner, Rex, were assigned to new duties within the department.

A self-described talker, Golbach enjoys meeting and conversing with those who cross her path, including parents and other visitors to campus, many of whom have questions or concerns to express.

"I get all kinds of safety questions from the parents," she says, adding that one of the biggest problems on the lower campus is theft, which makes up a majority of crime on campus. Unfortunately, the thieves are rarely caught, often because the theft is not discovered right away. Theft is a big problem, mostly because it is a "crime of opportunity, she says." Victims often leave their doors and belongings unsecured, making them easy targets. The transient population on campus lends to this problem.

Golbach is attempting to get some of the fraternities to volunteer their time to help clean up the area, because a clean and well-cared-for community helps deter crime.

"I would like the lower campus to take ownership of its own buildings and the people around them. If it does that, it will be a much stronger community with a lot less crime," she says.

Golbach decided to become a police officer at age 34. She joined the department in 1998 as a security officer, working the night shift so she could take classes during the day. She currently is pursuing a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, with a minor in psychology.

"Studying psychology really helps me in my daily work," she says. "It gives me a better understanding of people and where they're coming from."

Golbach can be reached at 262-8088 or hagolbach@wisc.edu.