SB117: Text as Enrolled

c. The conduct policies of the police and fire departments.

d. Use of force guidelines of the police department.

SB117,20 Section 20 . 62.50 (1h) (f) 3. of the statutes is created to read:

62.50 (1h) (f) 3. No member may participate in any board action until he or she completes the training class under subd. 1. and any other training required by the city.

SB117,20g Section 20g. 62.50 (1j) of the statutes is created to read:

62.50 (1j) Legal services. The board may retain an attorney to represent the board in any action or proceeding brought for or against the board and to provide any other legal services requested by the board.

SB117,21 Section 21 . 62.50 (5g) of the statutes is created to read:

62.50 (5g) Executive director. (a) No later than the 2nd Monday in June occurring after the effective date of the paragraph .... [LRB inserts date], the 2nd Monday in June immediately preceding the expiration of the regular term of office of the executive director, or within 60 days of a vacancy in the position, the board shall submit to the mayor a list of 3 qualified candidates for the position of executive director. Before submitting the list of candidates to the mayor, the board shall publicly announce the proposed list and hold a public hearing that includes a public comment period with regard to the list. No later than the 30 days after receiving the list, the mayor shall appoint an individual selected from the list as executive director. The individual appointed is subject to confirmation by the common council.

(b) The common council shall fix the salary or other compensation of the executive director.

(c) The initial regular term of office of the executive director is 4 years from the 2nd Monday in July occurring after the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date]. Thereafter, the regular term of office is 4 years from the 2nd Monday in July following appointment of an executive director to a regular term under this section. An executive director appointed under this section may continue to hold office until a successor is appointed and confirmed.

(d) 1. An executive director may be removed by a majority vote of the board in open session.

2. Notwithstanding s. 17.12 (1) (c), an executive director may not be removed by the mayor.

(e) The executive director shall do all of the following:

1. Act as the principal staff of the board in exercising the board's functions and powers under this section.

2. Review situations or investigations when an individual is dissatisfied with the outcome of an investigation or situation involving the police or fire department.

3. Evaluate the policies, practices, and patterns, including staff deployments, crime and fire prevention training, use of force, search, seizure, citizen interaction, and communication of the police and fire departments.

4. Issue reports to the public at least annually relating to the status and outcome of complaints that have been filed, the timeliness of complaint resolution, trends and patterns of concern pertaining to complaint investigations, the nature and frequency of complaints, and other performance indicators.

5. Attend any regular meeting of the common council or meeting of council committee where his or her presence is requested by the council.

(f) If the executive director is an attorney, no attorney-client privilege exists between the executive director and the mayor or common council.

SB117,22 Section 22 . 62.50 (5m) of the statutes is created to read:

62.50 (5m) Common council oversight. (a) If the common council adopts a resolution by a two-thirds vote of the members-elect, as defined in s. 59.001 (2m), to conduct a performance review of the chief of police or the chief engineer of the fire department, the board shall conduct the review and provide a written report to the common council.

(b) At least once each year, the chief of police and the chief engineer of the fire department shall meet with the members of the common council at a regular meeting of the council.

(c) Upon request by the common council or any committee of the common council, the chair of the board, the vice chair of the board, or the executive director under sub. (5g) shall attend a meeting of the common council or a committee of the common council.

SB117,23 Section 23 . 62.50 (6) of the statutes is renumbered 62.50 (6) (a) and amended to read:

62.50 (6) (a) If a vacancy exists in the office of chief of police or in the office of chief engineer of the fire department, the board by a majority vote shall appoint proper persons to fill such offices respectively. When filling a vacancy in the office of chief of police or in the office of chief engineer of the fire department occurring after June 15, 1977, the board shall appoint the person to a term of office the number of years and commencement date of which shall be set by the city of the 1st class by ordinance and which may not exceed 10 years, or for the remainder of an unexpired term.

SB117,24 Section 24 . 62.50 (6) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

62.50 (6) (b) Before appointing or reappointing a chief of police or chief engineer of the fire department under this subsection, the board shall do all of the following:

1. Meet with representatives of the nonsupervisory employee association whose members will serve under the proposed chief.

2. Hold at least 2 public meetings to hear comments from residents of the city and other interested persons.

SB117,25 Section 25 . 62.50 (6) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

62.50 (6) (c) If the board accepts an additional application for chief of police after the application period for accepting these applications has closed, the board shall reopen the application period for an additional 7 days beginning on the date it accepted the late application.

SB117,25m Section 25m. 62.50 (17) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

62.50 (17) (a) Within 3 days after hearing the matter the board, or a 3-member panel of the board, shall review all of the evidence received and, by a majority vote of its members and subject to par. (b), determine whether by a preponderance of the evidence the charges are sustained. If the board or panel determines that the charges are sustained, the board shall at once determine whether the good of the service requires that the accused be permanently discharged or be suspended without pay for a period not exceeding 60 days or reduced in rank. If the charges are not sustained the accused shall be immediately reinstated in his or her former position, without prejudice. The decision and findings of the board, or panel, shall be in writing and shall be filed, together with a transcript of the evidence, with the secretary of the board.

SB117,25s Section 25s. 62.50 (19) of the statutes is amended to read:

62.50 (19) Charges by aggrieved person. In cases where duly verified charges are filed by any aggrieved person with the board of fire and police commissioners, setting forth sufficient cause for the removal of any member of either of the departments, including the chiefs or their assistants, the board or chief may suspend such member or officer pending disposition of such charges. The board shall cause notice of the filing of the charges with a copy to be served upon the accused and shall set a date for the trial and investigation of the charges, following the procedure under this section. The board, or a 3-member panel of the board, shall review all of the evidence received and decide by a majority vote and subject to the just cause standard described in sub. (17) (b) whether the charges are sustained. If sustained, the board shall immediately determine whether the good of the service requires that the accused be removed, suspended from office without pay for a period not exceeding 60 days or reduced in rank. If the charges are not sustained, the accused shall be immediately reinstated without prejudice. The secretary of the board shall make the decision public.

SB117,26 Section 26 . 62.50 (21) of the statutes is amended to read:

62.50 (21) Certification and return of record; hearing. Upon the service of the demand under sub. (20), the board upon which the service is made shall within 5 days thereafter certify to the clerk of the circuit court of the county all charges, testimony, and everything relative to the trial and discharge, suspension or reduction in rank of the member. Upon the filing of the return with the clerk of court, actions for review shall be given preference. Upon application of the discharged member or the board, the court shall fix a date for the trial which shall be no later than 15 days after the date of the application except upon agreement between the board and the discharged or suspended member. The action shall be tried by the court without a jury and shall be tried upon the return made by the board. In determining the question of fact presented, the court shall be limited in the review thereof to the question: “Under the evidence is there just cause, as described in sub. (17) (b), to sustain the charges against the accused?" The court may require additional return to be made by the board, and may also require the board to take additional testimony and make return thereof.

SB117,27 Section 27 . 62.50 (21m) of the statutes is created to read:

62.50 (21m) Review of disciplinary decisions. (a) The action filed under sub. (20) shall be tried by the court without a jury and, subject to par. (b), shall be limited to review of the following:

1. Whether the board followed appropriate procedure.

2. Whether the board considered all evidence received.

3. Whether there is just cause, as described in sub. (17) (b), to sustain the charges against the officer.

(b) In a review under this subsection:

1. If the court determines that the board failed to follow appropriate procedure or failed to consider all evidence received, the court shall review the decision of the board independently and without deference to the board's findings of fact and conclusions of law.

2. If the court determines that the board followed appropriate procedure and considered all evidence received, the court shall conduct the review under par. (a) 3. but shall adopt the board's findings of fact, except as provided under par. (c).

(c) A review under this subsection shall be confined to the record, except that the court may in its discretion allow the submission of additional evidence. If the court allows the submission of additional evidence, the court may consider the additional evidence in its review under this subsection or remand the disciplinary decision to the board for further consideration under sub. (17) or (19).

SB117,28 Section 28 . 62.51 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

62.51 (1) (a) “Public office" means the following positions or their equivalent: city engineer; city purchasing agent; commissioner of building inspection, of city development, of health or of public works; director of administration, of budget and management, of community development agency, of employee relations, of office of telecommunications, or of safety; emergency management coordinator; employee benefits administrator; executive director of the commission on community relations; municipal port director; commissioner of assessments; director of liaison; city personnel director; executive director of the retirement board; executive director of the city board of election commissioners; city librarian; city labor negotiator; executive secretary of the board of fire and police commissioners; and supervisor of the central electronics board.

SB117,29 Section 29 . Initial applicability.

(1) This act first applies to a vacancy on the board of fire and police commissioners, a vacancy on a board of police and fire commissioners, a vacancy in the office of chief of either department, a vacancy in a public office, or an action by an officer or member of either department that gives rise to the need for a disciplinary proceeding that occurs on the effective date of this subsection.