Reginald Patterson is the Madison police lieutenant accused of engaging in possible sexual activity in his unmarked squad vehicle during daytime in a Wisconsin Farm & Fleet parking lot, a scene captured in a viral video. You can watch the videos later in this article.
Be forewarned: The video is somewhat graphic and contains disturbing language. Heavy learned the identity of Madison police Lieutenant Reginald Patterson from a source. He is also known as Reggie Patterson.
Told that Heavy was going to print Patterson’s name, Sergeant Nicholas Eull, acting as public information officer for Madison police, said he was “not able to confirm any name.” He directed Heavy to a brief news release issued by the department on September 16, 2021. Heavy wrote Patterson through his departmental email but didn’t hear back. Heavy has also contacted the man who filmed the video, seeking an interview.
In 2019, Madison police wrote on Facebook, “Welcome Patrol Lieutenant Reggie Patterson … we are excited to welcome Lt. Reggie Patterson to West PD.” At the time, the comment thread on the police Facebook page filled with effusive comments praising Patterson. “What a great hire! There just isn’t a better person or Lt. congrats!” read one.
In 2020, Patterson was in the news when he took a knee, in uniform, with other officers and community members concerned about the death of George Floyd.
Here’s what you need to know:
Police Confirmed They Are Investigating a Video That Appears to Show an MPD Officer ‘Potentially Engaged in Sexual Activity’ Inside a Squad Car
The person filming the video, identified by Madison.com as Marcel Scott, says in it, “That’s the police in here f****** in here, you all.” The person doing the filming claims the woman inside the vehicle is a prostitute, but that hasn’t been confirmed by authorities.
Scott was also interviewed by Rhonda Foxx, a reporter with WKOW-TV.
“I looked a little harder in the vehicle, I saw two individuals, a man and a woman, one as a police officer, and they were engaging in sexual activity,” said Scott to Foxx.
“Aw, hell no. You’d lock me up for this s***, aw hell no. I’m finna call your a** clean in,” the man says, using a racial slur and expletives during the video.
There is also a second video.
The police news release, issued at 5 p.m. on September 16, 2021, gave the address of 211 S. Carroll St., which is the address of the Police Department. The release alleges:
“On September 16th, 2021 shortly after 5pm, the Madison Police Department was made aware of a video circulating online which appears to show a MPD officer potentially engaged in sexual activity with another person inside a squad car. The officer in this video has been identified and has since been placed on administrative leave.”
Police continued, “An investigation commenced immediately and is now underway. MPD is taking this matter very seriously and is committed to transparency and upholding the public’s trust.”
Patterson Has Worked for Madison Police Since 2006
According to a Madison police biography, Reggie Patterson “started his career with the Madison Police Department in 2006. As an officer, he worked Central nights patrol before joining the Crime Prevention Gang Unit.”
The bio adds, “Lt. Patterson was a detective for seven years working financial crimes, the Violent Crime Unit and the Dane County Narcotics Task Force. Prior to becoming the West District Patrol Lieutenant, Lt Patterson worked as the Fifth Detail Officer in Charge.”
It further says, “He has been involved in several community and department initiatives such as the Financial Abuse Special Team (FAST), Racial Disparity Impact Committee, and is currently Co-coordinator for the Madison Police Department Peer Support Team. Lt. Patterson has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice.”
Over the years, he’s been quoted in stories about various crimes in Madison.
In 2020, he was recorded reading a book in a Madison police tweet that read, “Books 📚 and Badges 🚓 – The Skin You Live In. ‘It’s a very cool thing to know and recognize the diversity in all of us.’ Patrol Lieutenant Reggie Patterson reads this lively story of an important message of social acceptance.”
The Man Who Filmed the Video Said He Recorded It Around 4 p.m. in the Afternoon
Scott told Madison.com that he took the video around 4 p.m. on September 16, 2021, at the Farm & Fleet parking lot at 2202 Stoughton Road.
He had noticed the squad car parking in an employee parking area and saw “white legs pop up in the back of the police car. You could see the images of two bodies,” Madison.com reported.
Scott gave a description to the newspaper that matches Patterson. He described the woman “as in her 20s or 30s with blue hair,” reported Madison.com and “the officer as an older, bald, Black male with a mustache.”
Scott told Madison.com he filmed the video as a “statement of look what our tax dollars are going to.”
In 2018, Patterson earned more than $100,000 as a Madison police detective.
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