Midtown Advisors Learn about MPD's Special Events Team

Lt. James Imoehl attended Midtown’s June CPAB meeting to deliver an informative and interesting presentation on Madison Police Department's Special Events Team (SET), including its history, goals, philosophy, and specialty units (bike, field extraction, grenadier, logistics, and medics).

Advisors asked great questions and had fun trying on the protective gear worn by SET members when responding to community events such as protests and demonstrations.

SET is charged with managing large groups and events in Madison, protecting citizens’ freedom to assemble and speak while ensuring public safety. Guiding their approach is the recognition of our Constitutional right to assemble as well as the position that the role of police during large events is to remain impartial, have dialogue, and protect people first and property second.

Within SET is the Community Dialogue Team (CDT), which aims to have effective, proactive communication with members of the community organizing planned events or taking part in unplanned events. The CDT was an outgrowth of recommendations made in a 2021 Sentinel Event Review by the Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice.