City of Milwaukee - File #: 170634

• File #: 170634
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: Passed
• File created: 7/31/2017
• In control: COMMON COUNCIL
• Final action: 11/7/2017
• Title: Resolution directing the Department of Administration - Intergovernmental Relations Division to seek introduction and passage of State legislation relating to how fire and police chiefs may be removed from office.
• Sponsors: ALD. ZIELINSKI, ALD. BORKOWSKI, ALD. PEREZ, ALD. STAMPER, ALD. RAINEY, ALD. BAUMAN
• Indexes: FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE DEPARTMENT, STATE LEGISLATION

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
11/7/2017	0	COMMON COUNCIL	VETO OVERRIDDEN; Minutes note: Ald. Borkowski moved to dispense with the reading of the Mayor's veto message. There were no objections.	Pass	10:5
10/17/2017	0	MAYOR	VETOED
10/17/2017	0	COMMON COUNCIL	ADOPTED	Pass	8:6
10/9/2017	0	JUDICIARY & LEGISLATION COMMITTEE	RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION; Minutes note: Apearing: Cesar Banks - 2223 N 25th Street in support of this file Kahlil Coleman - in support of this file Brenda Wood - CC CC IRD LaKeisha Butler - Director of IRD	Pass	3:2
7/31/2017	0	COMMON COUNCIL	ASSIGNED TO

Number

170634

Version

ORIGINAL

Reference

Sponsor

ALD. ZIELINSKI, BORKOWSKI, PEREZ, STAMPER, RAINEY AND BAUMAN 

Title

Resolution directing the Department of Administration - Intergovernmental Relations Division to seek introduction and passage of State legislation relating to how fire and police chiefs may be removed from office.

Analysis

This resolution directs the Department of Administration - Intergovernmental Affairs Division to seek introduction and passage of State legislation to amend s. 62.50, Wis. Stats., to grant the common council of a 1st class city the authority to remove the chief of police or the fire chief from office by a two-thirds majority vote of its members.

Body

Whereas, Since its establishment in 1885, the Fire and Police Commission has been

responsible for appointing the police and fire chiefs of the City of Milwaukee; and

Whereas, This arrangement, which is mandated under State law (s. 62.50, Wis. Stats.), is relatively unique among American cities of Milwaukee’s size; and

Whereas, While this appointment procedure once served a valuable purpose in shielding the chiefs of fire and police from political influence, it is nonetheless necessary to update this arrangement to ensure that the chief of police and the fire chief are fiscally-conscious, operationally-efficient and responsive to the needs of the community served; and

Whereas, The Common Council is an appropriate body in which to vest the authority to remove from office a chief of police or fire chief who no longer has the faith and support of the community and its elected officials; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Department of Administration - Intergovernmental Affairs Division is directed to seek introduction and passage of State legislation to amend s. 62.50, Wis. Stats., to grant the common council of a 1st class city the authority to remove the chief of police or the fire chief from office by a two-thirds majority vote of its members; and, be it

Further Resolved, That File Number 160538 is amended by inserting the following item in the document attached to the file and identified as “2017-2018 State Legislative Package Proposals”:

Common Council

Local Control and Flexibility

Amend Wis. Stat. §62.50 to grant the common council of a 1st class city the authority to remove the chief of police or the fire chief from office by a two-thirds vote of its members.

Requestor

Drafter

LRB169206-1

Dana Zelazny

July 31, 2017