Madison residents received news on Monday night that the Madison Police Civilian Oversight Board (PCOB) has provisionally appointed Alder Rebecca Kemble to serve as the city’s interim independent police monitor. The move is intended to keep the oversight office operational while the board searches for a permanent monitor, a step the board says is vital for maintaining transparency and accountability in local policing.
PCOB Chair Devon Snyder told WMTV that the provisional appointment “preserves continuity within the Office of the Independent Monitor and protects the long‑term independence of Madison’s civilian oversight framework.” Snyder added that the board hopes Kemble’s addition will strengthen relationships with the Common Council, the city attorney’s office, and the HR department.
City Attorney Michael Haas, however, clarified that the appointment cannot take effect until it receives formal confirmation from the Common Council. In a statement to WMTV, Haas said, “The Board is not able to provisionally appoint an interim IM without approval from the HR Director, nor a permanent IM without approval from the Common Council.” He referenced a council resolution that assigns the Common Council Chief of Staff to supervise the Office of the Independent Monitor until a permanent monitor is hired.
Snyder disputed Haas’s interpretation, noting that HR Director Erin indicated the board does have authority to make a provisional appointment, with the HR director providing final sign‑off. “Even though we did this, we still want to work collaboratively with the Common Council, HR, the city attorney, but that collaboration should not require silence, compliance or acceptance of limitations on our actual authority,” Snyder said.
The appointment follows a recent shake‑up in the oversight office. Early Wednesday morning, Oct. 21, the Madison Common Council voted to terminate former interim monitor Aeiramique Glass. Since that decision, Common Council Chief of Staff Karen Kapusta‑Pofahl has been temporarily supervising the Office of the Independent Monitor.
City officials have not indicated a specific timeline for the council’s vote on Kemble’s provisional appointment. The board’s next steps hinge on whether the Common Council will endorse the appointment as outlined by the HR director or adhere to the attorney’s reading of the council’s authority.
What’s next: The Common Council is expected to consider the board’s recommendation at its next scheduled meeting. Residents should watch for council minutes or statements confirming whether Kemble will assume the interim role, which will determine how quickly the oversight office can resume full operations.
Sources: wmtv15news.com
