A "Speed Limit: 35 MPH" sign.
Four Madison police officers violated departmental policy and standards in a bizarre pursuit of a 72-year-old Black male driver who never exceeded the speed limit while being chased last fall, according to internal disciplinary records requested by Isthmus in April and released after redactions in July.
The “pursuit parade” started after 1 a.m. on Oct 2, 2025, when a driver in a Cadillac didn’t pull over on the inner Capitol Square after a cop noticed the car’s headlights were not on. (Police would later claim the driver "looked stoned.”) The Cadillac would continue driving under the 35 mph speed limit for the entire chase — even after the sergeant managing the chase used tire spikes that flattened the car’s front tires and caused sparks. The sergeant left the spikes in the road, citing protocol, and instead, joined in to take the lead on the chase, despite being in an unmarked squad car.
The chase lasted for just eight minutes, during which two Madison police officers raced through downtown trying to catch up to the pursuit: one officer sped through downtown intersections without stopping for red lights or a stop sign. He topped out at 69 mph, slowing only for a lone bicyclist. (Later, this officer told investigators he thought his speeds were reasonable. His lieutenant, though, struggled to “grasp my head” around that statement, called the speeds “excessive because of the unknowns,” and added “I’m trying to understand where that confidence comes from…”)
Another officer drove through multiple intersections with red lights, doing 68 mph on West Wilson Street and then topping out at 75 mph on East Doty Street — all without having a siren on. He slowed to 46 mph only when driving on the bike path that runs parallel to John Nolen Drive. (Later, he admitted that this was not driving with “due regard.”)
During the chase, Madison police discussed tactics prohibited by departmental policy — no one said no to a suggestion from a Capitol Police officer who asked if they wanted help to “box this in,” which investigators concluded “would not have been authorized…in this scenario.” Another police officer floated calling in Maple Bluff police to perform a “PIT” — a technique that involves hitting the back half of a suspect’s car. Madison officers are only allowed to use this when deadly force is authorized.
Neither technique was ultimately used. The chase ended after the driver tried to do a U-turn in a small, dead-end parking lot beneath Monona Terrace. Officers, alleging they had spotted a screwdriver, pulled the driver from his car. He hit his head on the concrete curb and needed stitches. The supervising sergeant, who investigators found abandoned his role in overseeing the pursuit to join it, then celebrated the arrest by shaking an officer, shouting “Way to go, fuck yea!,” and slapping another officer on the butt. (When questioned, he admitted he could have celebrated somewhere else, out of the suspect’s view).
The case was referred to the police department’s Professional Standards Internal Affairs after an administrative committee that reviews pursuits found “several deviations from MPD’s Emergency Vehicle Operations SOP.”
Sergeant Nathan Becker was disciplined for violating code of conduct standards on courtesy, respect and professional communication; he received a letter of reprimand but was exonerated for three other violations. Officer Nathan Belanger was found to have violated two operating procedures, including a failure to sync his audio with the video system, and not reporting the issue, but was exonerated for use of force.
Officers Jonathan Mendoza and Gerardo Vazquez were both found to have violated emergency vehicle operation protocols, while Mendoza was also disciplined for not having his microphone synced with his video system.
