Number
080439
Version
ORIGINAL
Reference
Sponsor
ALD. DONOVAN
Title
Resolution urging the Chief of Police and the City of Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission to initiate a program in the 2009 City Budget to employ retired law enforcement officers on a part-time basis.
Analysis
Qualified retired police officers, with their combination of extensive work experience in law enforcement and continuing desire to serve and protect the public, have been hired on a part-time basis in several U.S. cities through variations of “retired officer programs.” This resolution urges the Chief of Police and the Fire and Police Commission, to initiate a program to employ retired law enforcement officers on a part-time basis in the City of Milwaukee.
Body
Whereas, The City of Milwaukee Police Department is faced with the continuing charge of matching roles and responsibilities of sworn and non-sworn positions within the department with qualified individuals; and
Whereas, Retired police officers represent a valuable resource that can be tapped to fill varied needs within the Milwaukee Police Department on a part-time basis, thereby freeing certain sworn officers from station house and administrative duties for street action; and
Whereas, Retired law enforcement personnel bring to the table the breadth and depth of knowledge of seasoned, tenured police officers, whose honorably retired status by definition means they have been amply exposed to the culture and day-to-day workings of a police department, with a corresponding wealth of practical experiences to draw upon; and
Whereas, Retired officers already have in place health insurance, a pension and other benefits befitting an officer retired in good standing, thereby making it unnecessary to provide these persons employment entitlements over and above an hourly rate of pay; and
Whereas, The Global Pension Settlement has effectively created a sizeable group of retired City of Milwaukee Police Department sworn personnel who, because of their relative youth, continue to seek active employment; and
Whereas, The cities of Houston, Texas; Omaha, Nebraska; and Reno, Nevada, have each implemented variations of so-called “retired officer programs”, employing officers retired in good standing to fill critical roles within the police department on a part-time basis; and
Whereas, The designation and responsibilities assigned to retired officers in the respective programs in place in each of these 3 cities ranges the continuum, from civilian job classifications to sworn members of the department; from performing non-classified administrative functions to walking a foot patrol; from working the front desk to carrying a side arm and having full enforcement powers; and
Whereas, The response by regular full-time sworn officers to the programs in place in Houston, Omaha and Reno has been positive, due to the fact that part-time retired officers provide experienced assistance, typically augmenting or performing duties and responsibilities performed by full-time law enforcement personnel; and
Whereas, Retired officer programs can represent a “win-win-win” situation, with the police department gaining the services of experienced law enforcement officers at a favorable cost, the program participants fulfilling a desire to continue in public service in some capacity and earn supplemental income, and current, regular, full-time sworn officers acquiring the assistance of veteran part-time personnel; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Common Council urges the Chief of Police and the City of Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission to initiate a program in the 2009 City Budget to employ retired law enforcement officers on a part-time basis.
Requestor
Drafter
LRB08323-1
MST
6/30/08