The Wisconsin Statutes created the Fire and Police Commission (FPC) in 1885 to remove
the fire and police services from the influences of politics. The Commission was
established with five members appointed by the Mayor who served overlapping
five-year terms; this was later changed and there are now seven members. The FPC
establishes recruitment and testing standards, hears disciplinary appeals,
investigates citizen complaints, disciplines employee misconduct, and oversees all
aspects of Fire Department and Police Department operations. The FPC Office of
Criminal Justice Programs provided technical assistance in grant development to
agencies that sought aid through the Safe Streets Act and also submitted a City of
Milwaukee Criminal Justice Improvement Plan to both the Metropolitan Criminal
Justice Council and the Wisconsin Council on Criminal Justice. It also hears appeals
from disciplinary actions, and grants the licenses of local detective agencies and
their agents.
