Syed Abbas WI

When I served as the Madison Common Council President, I consistently voted in support of implementing body-worn cameras and was a strong advocate for them. I believed then, and still today, that body-worn cameras are an important tool for creating greater transparency and accountability.

Cameras alone will not solve every issue, but they provide an objective record of interactions that can protect civil rights, strengthen investigations, preserve evidence, and help resolve complaints fairly.

Recent events have once again reminded us why objective evidence matters. Regardless of anyone's opinion about a particular incident, the more complete the record, the greater the public's confidence in the outcome.

It has been four years since the Common Council approved the body-worn camera pilot program, yet Madison has still not fully implemented body-worn cameras.

Our community deserves leadership that follows through on important public safety and accountability initiatives.

Transparency, accountability, and public trust should not be political. They should be the standard we expect from local government.

Madison’s independent police monitor has started investigating Corey Ruiz shooting Interim police monitor Aeiramique Glass says she’s been advocating for body-worn cameras since her first day in Madison less than a year ago.

Over the past few weeks, my family has experienced one of the most difficult periods of our lives.

We had planned a long-awaited trip to Australia to visit Holly's family, but four days in I received a call from my brother that my father had been in a serious accident. He was in the ICU on a ventilator, unresponsive and in a coma with brain bleeds and other serious internal injuries.
Immediately, I booked a flight and within two hours I was at the airport, flying from Australia to Pakistan. After 28 hours of travel, on landing I learned my dad had opened his eyes. By the grace of God and the countless prayers of our family and friends, he has survived. He is on the road to recovery. It is a reminder of how precious family is and how fortunate we are to have our community rally around us during life's hardest moments.

After a week by my dad’s side, I returned to Australia to reunite with Holly and our children. Late Wednesday evening, we arrived back home in Madison.

While I was away, our own Madison community experienced heartbreaking events. Today, I had the opportunity to visit Corey Street, speak with community members, and pay my respects. My heart goes out to Corey's family, loved ones, neighbors, and everyone affected by this tragedy. No family should have to endure such pain.

As our community grieves, we also have a responsibility to ensure accountability and transparency. I believe the City should fully fund the Office of the Independent Monitor (OPIM) and support a thorough, independent investigation so the public can have confidence that the facts are established and lessons are learned.
Madison is a compassionate and resilient community. In difficult moments, we must come together, support one another, and work to build a city where every resident feels safe, heard, and valued.

Please keep Corey's family, everyone impacted by this tragedy, and my father in your prayers.

The death of Corey Ruiz has deeply affected our community. My thoughts are with his family, loved ones, and everyone grieving this tragic loss.
As our community seeks answers, it is essential that there be a thorough, transparent, and independent investigation. The public deserves to know exactly what happened, and accountability should follow wherever the facts and evidence lead.

I respect the right of every person to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights. My hope is that we move forward with compassion, honesty, and a shared commitment to justice and rebuilding trust within our community.

Yesterday, I had the honor of joining Governor Evers and colleagues to celebrate Earth Day at Mirror Lake State Park in Baraboo.
Together, we cleaned campsites and planted new plants to help care for this beautiful space. It was a great reminder of the importance of being good stewards of our land and leaving our state and national parks better than we found them for future generations.

Today is a historic day for women’s health in Wisconsin! 🎉

The State Assembly has passed a bill to extend postpartum care under Medicaid up to 12 months, providing critical support for new mothers. The Assembly also approved a breast cancer screening expansion bill, another important step for preventive health care.

I want to personally thank all the legislators who worked tirelessly on these bills, and especially my colleagues at DHS who worked behind the scenes to make this happen. I’m grateful to have played a small role in this effort as Deputy Legislative Director.

This is a huge victory for families and women’s health across our state! 💙