SB117-SSA1,8,106 62.13 (3) (d) 1. If the common council adopts a resolution by a two-thirds vote
7of the members-elect, as defined in s. 59.001 (2m), to conduct a performance review
8of the chief of police, the chief of the fire department, or the chief of a combined
9protective services department, the board shall conduct the review and provide a
10written report to the common council.
SB117-SSA1,8,1311 2. At least once each year, the chief of police and the chief of the fire department,
12or the chief of a combined protective services department, shall meet with the
13members of the common council at a regular meeting of the council.
SB117-SSA1,8,1714 3. Upon request by the common council or any committee of the common
15council, the chair of the board, the vice chair of the board, or the executive director
16under sub. (3m) shall attend a meeting of the common council or a committee of the
17common council.
SB117-SSA1,8,1918 4. This paragraph applies only in a 2nd class city with a population of 200,000
19or more.
SB117-SSA1,14 20Section 14. 62.13 (3m) of the statutes is created to read:
SB117-SSA1,9,521 62.13 (3m) Executive director. (a) No later than the 2nd Monday in June
22occurring after the effective date of the paragraph .... [LRB inserts date], the 2nd
23Monday in June immediately preceding the expiration of the regular term of office
24of the executive director, or within 60 days of a vacancy in the position, the board
25shall submit to the mayor a list of 3 qualified candidates for the position of executive

1director. Before submitting the list of candidates to the mayor, the board shall
2publicly announce the proposed list and hold a public hearing that includes a public
3comment period with regard to the list. No later than 30 days after receiving the list,
4the mayor shall appoint an individual selected from the list as executive director.
5The individual appointed is subject to confirmation by the common council.
SB117-SSA1,9,76 (b) The common council shall fix the salary or other compensation of the
7executive director.
SB117-SSA1,9,138 (c) The initial regular term of office of the executive director is 4 years from the
92nd Monday in July occurring after the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB
10inserts date]. Thereafter, the regular term of office is 4 years from the 2nd Monday
11in July following appointment of an executive director to a regular term under this
12subsection. An executive director appointed under this subsection may continue to
13hold office until a successor is appointed and confirmed.
SB117-SSA1,9,1514 (d) 1. An executive director may be removed by a majority vote of the board in
15open session.
SB117-SSA1,9,1716 2. Notwithstanding s. 17.12 (1) (c), an executive director may not be removed
17by the mayor.
SB117-SSA1,9,1818 (e) The executive director shall do all of the following:
SB117-SSA1,9,2019 1. Act as the principal staff of the board in exercising the board's functions and
20powers under this section.
SB117-SSA1,9,2321 2. Review situations or investigations when an individual is dissatisfied with
22the outcome of an investigation or situation involving the police, fire, or combined
23protective services department.
SB117-SSA1,9,2524 3. Evaluate the policies, practices, and patterns, including staff deployments,
25crime and fire prevention training, use of force, search, seizure, citizen interaction,

1and communication of the police and fire departments or the combined protective
2services department.
SB117-SSA1,10,63 4. Issue reports to the public at least annually relating to the status and
4outcome of complaints that have been filed, the timeliness of complaint resolution,
5trends and patterns of concern pertaining to complaint investigations, the nature
6and frequency of complaints, and other performance indicators.
SB117-SSA1,10,87 (f) If the executive director is an attorney, no attorney-client privilege exists
8between the executive director and the mayor or common council.
SB117-SSA1,10,109 (g) This subsection applies only to a 2nd class city with a population of 200,000
10or more.
SB117-SSA1,15 11Section 15. 62.13 (6m) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB117-SSA1,10,1812 62.13 (6m) (intro.) If a city of less than 4,000 population has not by ordinance
13applied subs. (1) (1m) to (6) to the city, the city may not suspend, reduce, suspend and
14reduce, or remove any police chief, combined protective services chief, or other law
15enforcement officer who is not probationary, and for whom there is no valid and
16enforceable contract of employment or collective bargaining agreement which
17provides for a fair review prior to that suspension, reduction, suspension and
18reduction or removal, unless the city does one of the following:
SB117-SSA1,16 19Section 16. 62.50 (1e) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:
SB117-SSA1,10,2120 62.50 (1e) Definition. In this section, “board” means the board of fire and
21police commissioners of a 1st class city.
SB117-SSA1,17 22Section 17. 62.50 (1h) of the statutes is renumbered 62.50 (1h) (a) and
23amended to read:
SB117-SSA1,11,224 62.50 (1h) (a) In all 1st class cities, however incorporated, there shall be a board
25of fire and police commissioners, consisting of either 7 or 9 citizens, not more than

13, if the board has 7 members, or 4 , if the board has 9 members, of whom shall at any
2time belong to the same political party.
SB117-SSA1,11,6 3(c) The staff and members of the board shall receive the salary or other
4compensation for their services fixed by the common council. The salary shall be
5fixed at the same time and in the same manner as the salary of other city officials
6and employees. All employees of the board shall be nonpartisan.
SB117-SSA1,11,9 7(d) 1. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a majority of the
8members-elect, as that term is used in s. 59.001 (2m), of the board shall constitute
9a quorum necessary for the transaction of business.
SB117-SSA1,11,18 102. a. A 3-member panel of the board may conduct, and decide by majority vote,
11a trial described under sub. (12) or may hear and decide, by majority vote, charges
12filed by an aggrieved person under sub. (19). It shall be the duty of the mayor of the
13city, on or before the 2nd Monday in July, to appoint 7, or 9, members of the board,
14designating the term of office of each, one to hold one year, 2 to hold 2 years, 2 to hold
153 years, one to hold 4 years if the board has 7 members, and 2 to hold 4 years if the
16board has 9 members, and one to hold 5 years if the board has 7 members, and 2 to
17hold 5 years if the board has 9 members, and until their respective successors shall
18be appointed and qualified. Thereafter the
SB117-SSA1,12,11 19(e) The terms of office for members of the board shall be 5 years from the 2nd
20Monday in July, and until a successor is appointed and qualified. The mayor may
21reduce the size of the board from 9 to 7 members by failing to appoint 2 successors
22for individuals whose terms expire at the same time. Every person appointed a
23member
The mayor shall appoint members of the board shall be subject to
24confirmation by the common council and every. If the common council rejects a
25member submitted for confirmation by the mayor, the person may not continue in

1office. Except as provided in par. (b), if the mayor fails to make an appointment
2within 120 days of a vacancy occurring, the common council may make the
3appointment by a majority vote of the members of the common council in open
4session. Before confirmation or appointment by the common council under this
5paragraph, the common council shall hold 2 public hearings that include public
6comment periods with regard to
the confirmation or appointment. Every appointed
7member shall, before entering upon the duties of the office take and subscribe the
8oath of office prescribed by article IV, section 28, of the constitution, and file the same
9duly certified by the officer administering it, with the clerk of the city. A member of
10the board may not continue in office after the expiration of his or her term, unless
11the member is reappointed to the board and confirmed by the common council.
SB117-SSA1,12,19 12(f) 2. Not later than the first day of the 7th month beginning after a member
13of the board appointed by the mayor is confirmed by the common council, the member
14shall enroll in a the training class that is related to the mission of the board under
15subd. 1.
and, not later than the first day of the 13th month beginning after a member
16appointed by the mayor is confirmed by the common council, the member shall
17complete the class. The training class shall be conducted by the city. Appointments
18made prior to the time this subchapter first applies to a 1st class city shall not be
19subject to confirmation by the common council.
SB117-SSA1,18 20Section 18. 62.50 (1h) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
SB117-SSA1,13,1721 62.50 (1h) (b) At least one member of the board shall be selected from a list
22submitted by the employee association that represents nonsupervisory law
23enforcement officers and at least one member selected from a list submitted by the
24employee association that represents fire fighters. Lists of individuals submitted for
25selection under this paragraph shall contain 5 names. Individuals included in a list

1submitted under this paragraph by an employee association that represents
2nonsupervisory law enforcement officers or fire fighters shall have professional law
3enforcement experience or professional fire fighting experience, respectively, and
4shall be at least 5 years removed from service as a professional law enforcement
5officer or fire fighter, respectively. If the mayor fails to make an appointment that
6is required to be selected from a list under this paragraph within 120 days after a
7vacancy occurs, the common council, within 60 days and after not fewer than 2 public
8hearings that include public comment periods with regard to the appointment, shall
9make the appointment. Notwithstanding the other requirements regarding length
10of terms in this subsection, the initial term of the member selected from a list
11submitted by the employee association that represents nonsupervisory law
12enforcement officers shall be 2 years and the initial term of the member selected from
13a list submitted by the employee association that represents fire fighters shall be 5
14years. The members selected from lists submitted by employee associations that
15represent nonsupervisory law enforcement officers and fire fighters shall comply
16with any residency requirements that apply to current members of the police or fire
17department, respectively, of the city.
SB117-SSA1,18g 18Section 18g. 62.50 (1h) (d) 2. b. of the statutes is created to read:
SB117-SSA1,13,2219 62.50 (1h) (d) 2. b. Except as provided under subd. 2. c., for a trial of a member
20of the police force, at least one member of the panel shall have professional law
21enforcement experience, and for a trial of a member of the fire department, at least
22one member of the panel shall have professional fire fighting experience.
SB117-SSA1,18r 23Section 18r. 62.50 (1h) (d) 2. c. of the statutes is created to read:
SB117-SSA1,14,624 62.50 (1h) (d) 2. c. If a trial is to be conducted and decided by a 3-member panel
25of the board and at the time of service of the notice fixing the time and place of trial

1under sub. (14), the board determines that, for a trial of a member of the police
2department, all board members having professional law enforcement experience will
3be unavailable for the trial or, for a trial of a member of the fire department, all board
4members having professional fire fighting experience will be unavailable for the
5trial, the trial may be conducted and decided by a 3-member panel that does not
6include a member with the requisite experience.
SB117-SSA1,19 7Section 19. 62.50 (1h) (f) 1. of the statutes is created to read:
SB117-SSA1,14,108 62.50 (1h) (f) 1. The city shall provide a training class for members of the board.
9The city may provide this class directly or in another manner, including by
10contracting with another person. The training class shall cover all of the following:
SB117-SSA1,14,1111 a. The mission and role of the board.
SB117-SSA1,14,1512 b. The procedures that apply to disciplinary hearings under this section,
13including applicable rules of evidence and applicable provisions of any contract
14between the city and employee associations that represent nonsupervisory law
15enforcement officers or fire fighters.
SB117-SSA1,14,1616 c. The conduct policies of the police and fire departments.
SB117-SSA1,14,1717 d. Use of force guidelines of the police department.
SB117-SSA1,20 18Section 20. 62.50 (1h) (f) 3. of the statutes is created to read:
SB117-SSA1,14,2119 62.50 (1h) (f) 3. No member may participate in any board action until he or she
20completes the training class under subd. 1. and any other training required by the
21city.
SB117-SSA1,20g 22Section 20g. 62.50 (1j) of the statutes is created to read:
SB117-SSA1,14,2523 62.50 (1j) Legal services. The board may retain an attorney to represent the
24board in any action or proceeding brought for or against the board and to provide any
25other legal services requested by the board.
SB117-SSA1,21
1Section 21. 62.50 (5g) of the statutes is created to read:
SB117-SSA1,15,112 62.50 (5g) Executive director. (a) No later than the 2nd Monday in June
3occurring after the effective date of the paragraph .... [LRB inserts date], the 2nd
4Monday in June immediately preceding the expiration of the regular term of office
5of the executive director, or within 60 days of a vacancy in the position, the board
6shall submit to the mayor a list of 3 qualified candidates for the position of executive
7director. Before submitting the list of candidates to the mayor, the board shall
8publicly announce the proposed list and hold a public hearing that includes a public
9comment period with regard to the list. No later than the 30 days after receiving the
10list, the mayor shall appoint an individual selected from the list as executive director.
11The individual appointed is subject to confirmation by the common council.
SB117-SSA1,15,1312 (b) The common council shall fix the salary or other compensation of the
13executive director.
SB117-SSA1,15,1914 (c) The initial regular term of office of the executive director is 4 years from the
152nd Monday in July occurring after the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB
16inserts date]. Thereafter, the regular term of office is 4 years from the 2nd Monday
17in July following appointment of an executive director to a regular term under this
18section. An executive director appointed under this section may continue to hold
19office until a successor is appointed and confirmed.
SB117-SSA1,15,2120 (d) 1. An executive director may be removed by a majority vote of the board in
21open session.
SB117-SSA1,15,2322 2. Notwithstanding s. 17.12 (1) (c), an executive director may not be removed
23by the mayor.
SB117-SSA1,15,2424 (e) The executive director shall do all of the following:
SB117-SSA1,16,2
11. Act as the principal staff of the board in exercising the board's functions and
2powers under this section.
SB117-SSA1,16,43 2. Review situations or investigations when an individual is dissatisfied with
4the outcome of an investigation or situation involving the police or fire department.
SB117-SSA1,16,75 3. Evaluate the policies, practices, and patterns, including staff deployments,
6crime and fire prevention training, use of force, search, seizure, citizen interaction,
7and communication of the police and fire departments.
SB117-SSA1,16,118 4. Issue reports to the public at least annually relating to the status and
9outcome of complaints that have been filed, the timeliness of complaint resolution,
10trends and patterns of concern pertaining to complaint investigations, the nature
11and frequency of complaints, and other performance indicators.
SB117-SSA1,16,1312 5. Attend any regular meeting of the common council or meeting of council
13committee where his or her presence is requested by the council.
SB117-SSA1,16,1514 (f) If the executive director is an attorney, no attorney-client privilege exists
15between the executive director and the mayor or common council.
SB117-SSA1,22 16Section 22. 62.50 (5m) of the statutes is created to read:
SB117-SSA1,16,2117 62.50 (5m) Common council oversight. (a) If the common council adopts a
18resolution by a two-thirds vote of the members-elect, as defined in s. 59.001 (2m),
19to conduct a performance review of the chief of police or the chief engineer of the fire
20department, the board shall conduct the review and provide a written report to the
21common council.
SB117-SSA1,16,2422 (b) At least once each year, the chief of police and the chief engineer of the fire
23department shall meet with the members of the common council at a regular meeting
24of the council.
SB117-SSA1,17,4
1(c) Upon request by the common council or any committee of the common
2council, the chair of the board, the vice chair of the board, or the executive director
3under sub. (5g) shall attend a meeting of the common council or a committee of the
4common council.
SB117-SSA1,23 5Section 23. 62.50 (6) of the statutes is renumbered 62.50 (6) (a) and amended
6to read:
SB117-SSA1,17,147 62.50 (6) (a) If a vacancy exists in the office of chief of police or in the office of
8chief engineer of the fire department, the board by a majority vote shall appoint
9proper persons to fill such offices respectively. When filling a vacancy in the office
10of chief of police or in the office of chief engineer of the fire department occurring after
11June 15, 1977
, the board shall appoint the person to a term of office the number of
12years and commencement date of which shall be set by the city of the 1st class by
13ordinance and which may not exceed 10 years, or for the remainder of an unexpired
14term.
SB117-SSA1,24 15Section 24. 62.50 (6) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
SB117-SSA1,17,1716 62.50 (6) (b) Before appointing or reappointing a chief of police or chief engineer
17of the fire department under this subsection, the board shall do all of the following:
SB117-SSA1,17,1918 1. Meet with representatives of the nonsupervisory employee association
19whose members will serve under the proposed chief.
SB117-SSA1,17,2120 2. Hold at least 2 public meetings to hear comments from residents of the city
21and other interested persons.
SB117-SSA1,25 22Section 25. 62.50 (6) (c) of the statutes is created to read:
SB117-SSA1,18,223 62.50 (6) (c) If the board accepts an additional application for chief of police
24after the application period for accepting these applications has closed, the board

1shall reopen the application period for an additional 7 days beginning on the date it
2accepted the late application.
SB117-SSA1,25m 3Section 25m. 62.50 (17) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB117-SSA1,18,144 62.50 (17) (a) Within 3 days after hearing the matter the board, or a 3-member
5panel of the board, shall review all of the evidence received and, by a majority vote
6of its members and subject to par. (b), determine whether by a preponderance of the
7evidence the charges are sustained. If the board or panel determines that the
8charges are sustained, the board shall at once determine whether the good of the
9service requires that the accused be permanently discharged or be suspended
10without pay for a period not exceeding 60 days or reduced in rank. If the charges are
11not sustained the accused shall be immediately reinstated in his or her former
12position, without prejudice. The decision and findings of the board, or panel, shall
13be in writing and shall be filed, together with a transcript of the evidence, with the
14secretary of the board.
SB117-SSA1,25s 15Section 25s. 62.50 (19) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB117-SSA1,19,516 62.50 (19) Charges by aggrieved person. In cases where duly verified charges
17are filed by any aggrieved person with the board of fire and police commissioners,
18setting forth sufficient cause for the removal of any member of either of the
19departments, including the chiefs or their assistants, the board or chief may suspend
20such member or officer pending disposition of such charges. The board shall cause
21notice of the filing of the charges with a copy to be served upon the accused and shall
22set a date for the trial and investigation of the charges, following the procedure under
23this section. The board, or a 3-member panel of the board, shall review all of the
24evidence received and
decide by a majority vote and subject to the just cause
25standard described in sub. (17) (b) whether the charges are sustained. If sustained,

1the board shall immediately determine whether the good of the service requires that
2the accused be removed, suspended from office without pay for a period not exceeding
360 days or reduced in rank. If the charges are not sustained, the accused shall be
4immediately reinstated without prejudice. The secretary of the board shall make the
5decision public.
SB117-SSA1,26 6Section 26. 62.50 (21) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB117-SSA1,19,217 62.50 (21) Certification and return of record; hearing. Upon the service of
8the demand under sub. (20), the board upon which the service is made shall within
95 days thereafter certify to the clerk of the circuit court of the county all charges,
10testimony, and everything relative to the trial and discharge, suspension or
11reduction in rank of the member. Upon the filing of the return with the clerk of court,
12actions for review shall be given preference. Upon application of the discharged
13member or the board, the court shall fix a date for the trial which shall be no later
14than 15 days after the date of the application except upon agreement between the
15board and the discharged or suspended member. The action shall be tried by the
16court without a jury and shall be tried upon the return made by the board. In
17determining the question of fact presented, the court shall be limited in the review
18thereof to the question: “Under the evidence is there just cause, as described in sub.
19(17) (b), to sustain the charges against the accused?" The court may require
20additional return to be made by the board, and may also require the board to take
21additional testimony and make return thereof.
SB117-SSA1,27 22Section 27. 62.50 (21m) of the statutes is created to read:
SB117-SSA1,19,2523 62.50 (21m) Review of disciplinary decisions. (a) The action filed under sub.
24(20) shall be tried by the court without a jury and, subject to par. (b), shall be limited
25to review of the following:
SB117-SSA1,20,1
11. Whether the board followed appropriate procedure.
SB117-SSA1,20,22 2. Whether the board considered all evidence received.
SB117-SSA1,20,43 3. Whether there is just cause, as described in sub. (17) (b), to sustain the
4charges against the officer.
SB117-SSA1,20,55 (b) In a review under this subsection:
SB117-SSA1,20,96 1. If the court determines that the board failed to follow appropriate procedure
7or failed to consider all evidence received, the court shall review the decision of the
8board independently and without deference to the board's findings of fact and
9conclusions of law.
SB117-SSA1,20,1210 2. If the court determines that the board followed appropriate procedure and
11considered all evidence received, the court shall conduct the review under par. (a) 3.
12but shall adopt the board's findings of fact, except as provided under par. (c).
SB117-SSA1,20,1713 (c) A review under this subsection shall be confined to the record, except that
14the court may in its discretion allow the submission of additional evidence. If the
15court allows the submission of additional evidence, the court may consider the
16additional evidence in its review under this subsection or remand the disciplinary
17decision to the board for further consideration under sub. (17) or (19).
SB117-SSA1,28 18Section 28. 62.51 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB117-SSA1,21,419 62.51 (1) (a) “Public office" means the following positions or their equivalent:
20city engineer; city purchasing agent; commissioner of building inspection, of city
21development, of health or of public works; director of administration, of budget and
22management, of community development agency, of employee relations, of office of
23telecommunications, or of safety; emergency management coordinator; employee
24benefits administrator; executive director of the commission on community
25relations; municipal port director; commissioner of assessments; director of liaison;

1city personnel director; executive director of the retirement board; executive director
2of the city board of election commissioners; city librarian; city labor negotiator;
3executive secretary of the board of fire and police commissioners; and supervisor of
4the central electronics board.
SB117-SSA1,29 5Section 29. Initial applicability.
SB117-SSA1,21,106 (1) This act first applies to a vacancy on the board of fire and police
7commissioners, a vacancy on a board of police and fire commissioners, a vacancy in
8the office of chief of either department, a vacancy in a public office, or an action by
9an officer or member of either department that gives rise to the need for a disciplinary
10proceeding that occurs on the effective date of this subsection.
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