Fitchburg Police and Fire Commission Meeting – June 17, 2026

The Fitchburg Police and Fire Commission met on June 17, 2026, at 5:00 PM (UTC) to receive reports from both departments, conduct closed session personnel actions, and make several hiring decisions. The meeting was presided over by Commission President Sean Baxter.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the May 20, 2026 meeting were approved unanimously by voice vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public appeared for non-agenda items.

Discussion Items

• Fire Department Report (Chief Sarber):

  • Cost for service trended up slightly in May but overall year is in line with last year. Most common call types are EMS calls. Four structure fires occurred, including two kitchen fires with minor burn injuries; prevention efforts continue.
  • Average response times were under six minutes, a metric added at the mayor's request.
  • Staffing: Four new POX (paid on-call) members are ready to begin background checks. Overtime spending has already surpassed the annual budget; 23 mandatory overtime shifts (mandates) occurred in May. The chief noted that driver positions are the most needed due to attrition and training timelines.
  • A smoke detector installation event in partnership with the American Red Cross installed 88 detectors in 34 residences, affecting 77 people. This targeted approach addresses areas with historical need, following two fire fatalities last year where non-working detectors were found.
  • In response to commissioner questions, the chief explained that the overtime budget shortfall is being managed through frugality, salary savings, and surplus funds; the city absorbed a $194,000 overtime overage last year. Mandates are expected to decrease in June and July due to returning staff and new interns.

• Police Department Report (Chief Morales):

  • Staffing: Three new officers are at the academy, leaving two vacancies. A female candidate with a medical issue may fill one vacancy by end of summer; a second hiring process is planned. Full staffing has not been achieved since 2021.
  • Calls for service: Over 1,000 citizen-generated calls and 1,100 officer-initiated calls, both up from last month but lower than last May (partly due to dispatch changes).
  • Crime trends: No homicides or serious violent crimes in May. Burglaries are double last year due to a trend linked to another jurisdiction; theft from autos is also of concern. Shots fired incidents are consistent with last year.
  • Traffic crashes decreased by 13%, attributed to officer activity and city traffic engineering improvements.
  • Domestic violence incidents dropped significantly last year and are remaining at that lower level, credited to a dedicated domestic violence team and use of a social worker.
  • A commissioner commended the department for improvements in community policing metrics and asked about connections to domestic violence services; the chief noted the department's annual report shows a near 50% drop in domestic incidents over five years.
  • The chief highlighted that three officers attended National Police Week in Washington, D.C., as a morale and retention initiative.

• Closed Session (Fire Department): The commission moved into closed session under Wis. Stat. § 19.85(1)(c) to discuss employment matters, including a resignation, hires from eligibility lists, and a promotion process. No details of the discussion were provided in open session.

• Closed Session (Police Department): The commission moved into closed session under Wis. Stat. § 19.85(1)(c) to discuss hiring a police captain, establishing a captain eligibility list, hiring a shift lieutenant, and starting a sergeant promotion process. No details of the discussion were provided in open session.

Key Outcomes

• Fire Department Personnel:
  • Approved hiring a career firefighter from the existing eligibility list and authorized the chief to hire a fire science resident intern if needed. (Motion passed unanimously by voice vote.)
  • Approved starting a POX battalion chief hiring process. (Motion passed unanimously by voice vote.)
• Police Department Personnel:
  • Approved hiring Logan Brown as police captain and creating a captain eligibility list expiring December 2027. (Motion passed unanimously by voice vote.)
  • Approved hiring Michael Bury as shift lieutenant. (Motion passed unanimously by voice vote.)
  • Approved starting a sergeant promotion process. (Motion passed unanimously by voice vote.)
• The commission president expressed appreciation to all candidates and specifically thanked the two finalists not selected (Ariana and Michael) for their professionalism, and congratulated Captain Logan Brown.
• An announcement was made that one commissioner will be absent from the next meeting.
• The meeting adjourned without further business.