THE WRITING LIFE — Police officer writes on the job
Note: The Writing Life is a column that focuses on how writing can impact one's life. It features Wisconsin residents.
By Meagan Parrish
 Howard Payne wears many uniforms for the Madison Police Department. At certain times, he appears to be an average beat cop, patrolling Madison's east side. Other times, Payne dons a suit and tie to work as a public information officer, a post that allows him to write press releases that are often anything but average.
According to Payne, “Part of the job is to take dull information and breath some life into it.”
Press releases from police departments are often dryly composed pieces of writing, knit tightly together by simple facts. But when Payne sits down to write a report, his approach is a bit different.
“Writing for me is more than just conveying an idea,” Payne explained. “You can give way more detail and really color things for people.”
More than just facts slapped on to paper, Payne’s reports tell a story. Sometimes he injects a sense of humor or a touch of moral guidance. The goal is not only to be factual and accurate but creative and memorable so that perhaps a lesson will be learned after an arrest has been made.
“At the department, we really want people to know what’s going on. It is not our job to just run around arresting people. It’s also our job to educate people,” Payne asserted.
Payne often makes sure to frame the accomplishments of the police when the story ends with a criminal coming off the streets. He also has a habit of ending reports with a message intended to help community members understand what they can do to keep themselves safe.
“I’m looking for a response when writing a press release so that the 21-year-old at a party smoking marijuana and drinking thinks about what position this puts them in three hours later,” Payne said.
His youth, which was spent between Chicago and Mississippi, has helped Payne acquire both his urban smarts and slightly southern dialect. Although he took creative writing classes in college, most of Payne’s experience in writing has been either academic or formal.
After acquiring a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s in public administration, Payne seemed destined for a long career in government work. But after gigs at both the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. State Department, Payne became enticed by the idea of working for the law. Although initially interested in joining the FBI, Payne wanted to first give community police work a try and ended up with the Madison Police Department. Now after 11 years and attaining a unique position with the department, Payne seems to have little interest in leaving Madison.
Payne is more than just a public information officer and beat cop; he also works for SWAT as a hostage negotiator. And he is a field training officer and one of the department’s main recruiters. Because of his various positions, Payne only does public information work as back up for the department’s main spokesperson.
Payne said he would be reluctant to give up his other jobs with the department, but might become tempted to apply for the job as the department's top public information officer if that post ever becomes vacant. If that would ever happen, Payne would simply have more opportunities to write, a process which is something he “feels proud about at the end.”
He explained, "Writing is a vehicle and the vehicle is easy to drive if you’re open to the possibilities. And I always want to learn more about how to drive that vehicle better.”
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