Responsibilities
The Office of Professional Standards is comprised of the Professional Standards Lieutenant and the Missoula Police Department's Training Officer. The Office of Professional Standards is responsible for recruiting, hiring, and training officers, as well as conducting internal investigations and investigating certain citizen complaints.
The Office of Professional Standards facilitates all types of training, except the Field Training Officer Program, which is a separate program. For example, the Professional Standards Lieutenant provides ongoing briefing training to the Patrol and Detective Divisions. The Training Officer arranges classes hosted by the MPD and makes accommodations to send officers to other classes outside of Missoula or Montana.
All citizen complaints are investigated by a supervisor within the MPD. The types of complaints generally referred to the Office of Professional Standards include, but are not limited to, use of force, perceived ethics violations, or alleged criminal acts.