MMSD Security Director Luis Yudice has been recommended to serve on the state's Legislative Council Special Committee on School Safety. The committee, comprised of state legislators and public members, will make school safety policy and program recommendations to the 2009 Legislature. The Legislative Council is the non-partisan research arm of the Legislature.

The committee will examine several issues including discipline, suspension, expulsion and other school conduct enforcement measures. The group will also discuss mental health issues and interagency cooperation, and interagency information release and dissemination. Once committee members are selected by study chairman Sen. John Lehman (D-Racine), the group will begin meeting some time this summer.

In his letter of recommendation to the Legislative Council co-chairs, Supt. Art Rainwater outlined Yudice's work history, saying, "I could provide a long list of equally impressive credentials. However, Yudice's greatest strengths are his interpersonal skills which enable him to make people of all ages feel comfortable in his presence, his determination to build consensus, and his bilingual fluency."

Recently, Yudice served for two years as co-chair of the Dane County/City of Madison Enhanced Gang Task Force. He was a Madison Police officer for over 30 years, working his way to the highest promoted rank of Assistant Chief of Police. He began as the district's security director in 2006 after his retirement from the police department.