Fitchburg Community Equity Advisory Committee Meeting – October 26, 2026

The Fitchburg Community Equity Advisory Committee met on October 26, 2026. It approved prior minutes, heard public opposition to a proposed 2026 police budget amendment for real-time information center technology, received a detailed police presentation, and postponed its recommendation until a special meeting before the council's November 10 consideration.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the September 23, 2026 meeting minutes.
• Approved a temporary transition of chair duties to Chase so the chair could leave early.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comment was offered for non-agenda items.
• Two written comments from Ari Lowe and Kelly Jetzer opposed the RTIC budget amendment; the detailed emails were to be available for public viewing.
• Chris Ungar expressed concern about privacy trade-offs and called for better guidelines governing the technology.
• Ann Sawyer said the technology could help solve crime but warned about misuse, citing possible monitoring of gay bars, places of worship, reproductive care centers, political party headquarters, smoke shops, individuals, and ESL classes; she urged citizen oversight and regulation before large spending.

Discussion Items

• Capt. Drew McCarthy and Patrol Capt. Logan Brown presented the RTIC proposal. McCarthy said Fitchburg is about 12 officer positions short of the 1.8 officers per 1,000 residents benchmark, roughly 20% of the department, and likely 13-14 short by January 1; he said the city has 35 square miles, ranks last among 15 Wisconsin agencies serving 30,000-50,000 people, and faces 12-18 months to recruit and train an officer.
• The RTIC package included cloud-based data analytics; drones as first responder (DFR); a camera-integration system with owner-controlled sharing; body and squad cameras with live translation; and Axon license plate readers (LPR). McCarthy said DFR aims to put eyes on scene within 60-120 seconds versus a 6-7 minute officer response and could clear some calls without an officer; up to three drones were proposed.
• On LPR, McCarthy said the prior Flock system was removed earlier in the year over data-sharing concerns. He said Axon LPR would keep data agency-owned, require a case number and preselected reason for searches, restrict searches to detectives and above, retain data for 30 days, and use manual regional MOUs; immigration enforcement and most civil/traffic offenses would not be permitted uses. He cited the Pick 'n Save explosion and a September shooting as cases aided by camera/LPR technology.
• Funding and timing: McCarthy said the $1.8 million figure includes already budgeted body cameras, squad cameras, and some tasers, with a lower additional ask; the Fitchburg Law Enforcement Foundation and private donors had committed several hundred thousand dollars, and grants would be pursued. A December 1 contract/pricing deadline was cited, with council action targeted for November 10, implementation not before April, and a one- to two-year proof-of-concept assessment. A committee member said the police chief redirected funding for a new officer position toward the technology, which could provide capacity equal to one to three officers as it rolls out.
• Committee members raised concerns about the speed of the proposal, limited community engagement/listening sessions, trust and transparency, camera placement in marginalized areas, the lack of equity data or analysis, and whether Axon was the only vendor considered. One member asked that an equity analysis be included in the proof-of-concept assessment. A member noted the equity rubric did not fit a device procurement and that a failing score reflected information gaps rather than a definitive judgment on the program.
• Alder Donald described the late referral to the committee, defended the budget context, and committed to meeting with police monthly or bi-monthly and reporting back to the committee. Police offered to provide references and data from other cities that have implemented similar technology.

Key Outcomes

• A motion to postpone the RTIC decision until the committee could meet again before November 10 passed by voice vote; the chair recorded ayes and no nays.
• The committee planned to digest the presentation, identify gaps, and provide a statement or recommendation before the council's November 10 meeting.
• Police agreed to consider or provide equity-related assessment data and references from other cities; implementation would not begin until April if approved.
• Announcements included a District 3 listening session on October 29 from 6-8 p.m. at Fire Station 3, a housing pathway to homeownership event on November 15, and a note that the next regular meeting would not be November 25; a special session was to be scheduled. The meeting adjourned.