MPD to create new section focused on organizational accountability and professional development

MADISON, Wis. – The Madison Police Department is creating a new section that will focus on use of force, professional development, accountability, and transparency.

The Service Excellence and Outreach Section will be added early next year and is part of a structural change within the organization. It will be divided into three units – use of force, community outreach and professional development.

“This is a chance for us to invest more deeply in our commitments to continuous improvement and quality assurance," said Madison Police Chief John Patterson. “This is a commitment to improve our proactive identification of trends, ability to develop needed trainings, ability to improve policy and ability to ensure that our services are always high quality and in line with our mission and the expectations of our community."

For the past year, MPD has been looking at ways to improve quality assurance in policing. A team reviewed and examined how this is being carried out in other communities across the country.

“This change will help enrich both individual and organizational professional development," Chief Patterson said.

The mission of the new section is to increase organizational proficiency and accountability through systematic agency review, continuous professional development, and ongoing engagement with our community.

The new section will be under the leadership of Capt. Matthew Nordquist and Lt. Jimmy Imoehl. A team of officers and a sergeant will be assigned to each specific unit.

“Every quality organization, across all professions, must be willing to examine itself to determine ways in which it can better serve both its mission and its employees," said Capt. Nordquist.

As part of the reorganization, the Community Outreach Section is being disbanded, and the Mental Health Unit will be reassigned to the Traffic and Specialized Services Section next year.