Why do you want to be a PAARI Pro?
“While I have been involved in law enforcement for over 40 years now, the last seven plus years have been helping the Madison (WI) Police Department implement and coordinate their ‘Madison Area Recovery Initiative’ (MARI). I have seen first hand how the opioid epidemic has taken so many lives through my work in law enforcement. But I have also personally experienced the pain and anguish as my own family lost a 25 year old cousin to a heroin overdose on Christmas Eve in 2014. Unlike a decade ago, however, today progressive police agencies across the United States are playing a significant role in connecting individuals suffering from substance use disorder to treatment and peer support. Being part of this movement in policing is one of greatest honors I have ever been associated with, and serving as a PAARI Pro will serve to expand LE diversion and deflection efforts even more.”
About:
In January 2016, Captain Joe Balles retired from the City of Madison, WI Police Department after completing a thirty two plus year career. Captain Balles earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville (1983), and a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs from the La Follette Institute of Public Policy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1988). Captain Balles is also a graduate of the prestigious F.B.I. National Academy (2006). Captain Balles served in a variety of “operational” and “support” roles during his years of service with the Madison Police Department. In his last seven years with MPD, he served as commander for the MPD’s South Police District overseeing 50 plus officers, detectives, supervisors and command staff. The MPD’s South District is located in one of the most demographically diverse areas in Madison, yet has a reputation of being one of MPD’s police districts with the strongest connections to the community and neighborhoods throughout the district. Creating and maintaining safe neighborhoods and schools is a constant challenge for police departments across the United States. The Madison Police Department has a long history and progressive culture of police leadership and community policing. The MPD has often been at the forefront nationally in developing innovative, community based strategies for addressing crime, fear and disorder. Captain Balles has been a long time community policing leader within the MPD especially in the areas of “problem oriented policing” and “restorative justice.” Captain Balles has also maintained, for many years, a long history of community involvement with organizations like the United Way of Dane County, Madison South Rotary.
