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Written by Louis Weisberg, Staff writer
Jul 14, 2010
Retired Madison police officer James Arthur Witalison, 60, died on April 27 of congestive heart failure. As a pioneering openly gay officer, Witalison played an important role in building a gay-friendly police force in the city.
A celebration of Witalison’s life was scheduled to be held at Olbrich Gardens, 3330 Atwood Ave., on July 16. Retired Madison police chief David Couper, who is now an Episcopal priest, will officiate. Couper hired Witalison in 1980 and initiated many of the reforms that brought greater racial, cultural, gender and sexual orientation diversity to the Madison Police Department (MPD).
The gathering begins at 5:30 p.m., and the memorial service starts at 6 p.m. Witalison’s family and friends are proud to have the MPD K-9 Unit and Honor Guard present for the memorial.
