Madison Police Dept (Winter, Mountain: crime, home, neighborhoods)

[jpbklb]

I am needing info on the Madison Police Dept. I have applied there and did very well on the written test. I am deciding between Madison and Knoxville, TN. I am a single father of a 11 year old son so info on schools, smaller towns close to activities, etcc. would be helpful.

Thanks
Paul

[vagabond wannabe]

two great options! (for cities anyway) I have an old high school friend on the force in madison, and she loves it.

[Drover]

I don't know about the "smaller towns" part. Many municipalities, especially the larger ones, require its employees to live within its municipal boundries. It's worth finding out if Madison (or Knoxville for that matter) has such a policy before you start looking at towns outside the city limits. For what it's worth, one major reason people look for towns outside a main city is to get better schools. Madison proper's schools are fine, if that's a concern.

Anyway, Madison is a very low-crime city, at least as far as serious stuff goes. It averages about two murders a year, which is really quite low for a city of over 200,000 people. Depending on which beat you work, the worst you're likely to deal with is boisterous drunken students, or maybe Madison's version of the 'hood, which in the grand scheme of things, just isn't that scary.

Couldn't tell you a thing about Knoxville though.

[jpbklb]

Anyone got any new info to share on Madison Police???

[Bowie]

Originally Posted by jpbklb

I am deciding between Madison and Knoxville, TN.

I have lived in both cities. The schools in Knoxville are below-average, while the schools in Madison are excellent. There's no way I'd live in Knoxville again with a school-age kid, although it was a fine, fun and inexpensive place to live when I was young and childless.

There's plenty to do in both places, although you have to be prepared for a few weeks each year of cold, snowy winter days in Madison. Knoxville can go whole winters without significant snow. Both cities are the home of their states' largest university, around which much of community life revolves.

Go with Madison.

[radraja]

Knoxville will have a better climate. Madison isn't only cold for a few weeks of the year - that is a major understatement. This year winter lasted until late April! Winters in WI can be brutally cold and long.

Both cities have good schools (some in Knoxville are bad, but certainly not all of them...just search around for the right neighborhoods).

Both cities have plenty to do. Madison is on two lakes. Knoxville is on a river in the Appalachian Mountains.

Knoxville may be more affordable, due to lower taxes and such. WI taxes are high.

Madison is uber-liberal, in a Berkeley sort of way. But both cities have that young, open-minded, college town vibe.

Neither would be a bad choice, but if you aren't used to the upper midwest (weather and culture), Knoxville may be more comfortable.

[Drover]

You folks are aware that this thread is over a year old, right?

[MidwesternBookWorm]

Originally Posted by Drover

You folks are aware that this thread is over a year old, right?

Well, given that the original poster came back on July 1 of this year and asked for an update, it seems reasonable and polite to answer.

[Drover]

D'oh!

[Angorlee]

Try to give off somewhat of a liberal aura when you are interviewed. it will help.