Alderman Bob Donovan proposing cuts in police command staff for new class of police recruits

By: CBS58 Staff

Posted: Oct 28, 2015 8:35 PM CDT | Updated: Oct 29, 2015 12:43 AM CDT

Alderman and Mayoral Candidate Bob Donovan says he will introduce an amendment to next year's budget that will cut command staff to pay for a police recruit class of 50 officers that could be activated and out on patrol by the middle of 2016.

The proposal has the endorsement of the Milwaukee Police Association.

"I've been doing a lot of traveling across Milwaukee recently," said Donovan during a city hall press conference on Wednesday. "It's difficult to run into anyone who isn't concerned about the level of safety and disorder that's occurring across Milwaukee."

Under Donovan's proposal two assistant police chief positions would be eliminated along with a deputy inspector and two captain positions.

Union president Mike Crivello says officers are put in extreme danger every day in Milwaukee.

"These officers represent those most likely to be injured in the line of duty and yet they are routinely forced to ride solo," said Crivello.

Here are the details of Donovan's proposal as outlined in a recent press release:

This amendment puts 50 more officers on the street by mid- 2017. Start recruit training July 5, 2016. Graduate late November-early December. Field training beside experienced officers completed in mid-2017. Training pipeline is almost one year. After reductions in command positions, MPD will still have:

1 Chief of Police

1 Assistant Chief of Police

3 Inspectors of Police

3 Deputy Inspectors of Police

22 Captains

30 Total Command positions to lead the department.

Assistant Chiefs of Police: Prior to 2009, there was only one Assistant Chief of Police.

Deputy Inspector of Police: Two locations have both a Deputy Inspector of Police and a Police

Captain – the Police Academy and the Internal Affairs Division.

Captains of Police (CURRENTLY TWO VACANCIES):

2015 Budget included a Technical Communications Manager to replace the Captain of Police in the Technical Communications Division.

2009 Budget created a civilian Police Information Systems Director to replace the Captain of Police in the Information Technology Division.

Police Lieutenant (CURRENTLY FOUR VACANCIES): 2015 Budget included a civilian

Property Control Manager to replace the Police Lieutenant at the Property Control Section, also known as the Property/Evidence Warehouse.

Police Fleet Supervisor (Position VACANT): Created in 2013 Budget as a transition position to train the replacement for the then-soon to be retired Police Fleet Manager. Incumbent moved into Manager position upon Fall 2015 retirement.

"I often run into individuals who tell me horrendous stories about poor police response," added Donovan. "Or no police response."

Donovan's recruit class is in addition to the recruit class in Mayor Tom Barrett's Budget.

The proposal will be discussed at city hall on Friday. A vote probably on Tuesday.

Thursday, October, 29th, on the CBS 58 News at 4 p.m. CBS 58 News will sit down with Chief Ed Flynn to get his reaction to the proposal and discuss other public safety issues.