Fire and Police Commission Board

The Board of Fire and Police Commissioners is a civilian body which oversees and prescribes general policies, standards, and rules in the Milwaukee Fire Department and the Milwaukee Police Department. The Commission also appoints all employees of the two public safety Departments, including the Department Chiefs. In addition to policy matters and employment functions, the Commission decides citizen complaints against Fire or Police employees. The Commission is comprised of nine part-time citizen board members, and a full-time professional staff led by an Executive Director.

The citizen board of the Commission holds regular business meetings twice each month except August, usually on the first and third Thursday of the month, at 5.30 p.m. These meetings are open to the public, and provide an opportunity for interested persons to listen to discussion and offer comments on agenda matters. Meetings are usually held in the Common Council meeting rooms on the third floor of City Hall, but some are held in community locations. The Board also has three standing committees that meet periodically, the Committee on Complaints and Discipline, the Committee on Policies and Standards, the Committee on Reasearch, and the Committee on Testing and Recruiting. Other committees are formed as needed.

The Commission's authority and responsibility are set forth in Wisconsin Statute 62.50 and in the Milwaukee City Charter. The nine citizen board Commissioners are appointed by the Mayor of Milwaukee and approved by the Common Council. Commissioners serve overlapping five-year terms, and receive a salary of $6,600.00 per year. The Commissioners elect a Chair and Vice-Chair. Diversity of background and experience makes the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners representative of the entire Milwaukee community.