FPC Testing and Recruiting Committee Meeting - May 12, 2026
FPC Testing and Recruiting Committee Meeting - May 12, 2026
The Fire and Police Commission's Testing and Recruiting Committee met on May 12, 2026, at 4:40 PM in City Hall, Room 301-B, with Chair Bree Spencer presiding. Commissioners present: Evans, Horwitz, Ramey, Spencer; Commissioner World-Patterson was excused. The meeting focused on proposed changes to minimum service and discipline requirements for the Police Sergeant promotional examination, including a reduction from seven to six years of continuous service and incentives for detectives.
Consent Calendar
- Item 2 – Approval of March 10, 2026, Meeting Minutes: The resolution to adopt the minutes (FPC212524) was moved and seconded. Note: The minutes state the motion FAILED (4 ayes, 0 noes, 1 excused), but the transcript indicates the chair declared the motion carried. This discrepancy is unresolved.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were received.
Discussion Items
- Item 3 – Minimum Service Requirements for Sergeant Exam (FPC212493): Executive Director Leon Todd recommended reducing the continuous service requirement from seven to six years, citing national averages around five years and a 2023 staff recommendation. Todd noted the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) supported the change, while the Milwaukee Police Supervisors Organization (MPSO) proposed an alternative: keep seven years for officers but reduce to six years for detectives with at least two years detective experience. Commissioners discussed further incentivizing detectives by allowing them to test at five years (six-year requirement with one-year substitution for two years as a detective). MPD Chief of Staff Heather Puff confirmed MPD aligned with the reduction to six years but was neutral on the detective incentive. After debate, the committee reached consensus to reduce the global requirement to six years and allow detectives with two years of detective service to substitute one year, effectively making them eligible at five years. The communication was placed on file.
- Item 4 – Discipline Requirements for Sergeant Exam (FPC212510): Todd presented a proposal to modify the current rule (five or more cumulative suspension days in the prior seven years makes a member ineligible). The proposal would change to: ineligible if five or more days within the last two years, or 15 or more days within the full six-year period. MPD expressed openness but preferred delaying implementation until after the current exam cycle. MPSO supported the status quo, arguing the new rule could be convoluted and might not achieve its intent. Commissioners expressed concerns about the 15-day threshold (calling it “outrageous”) and the need to differentiate between integrity offenses and accidents (e.g., squad car collisions). The committee decided to hold the item to the call of the chair to allow further study of the discipline matrix, with the understanding that changes would not be applied to the upcoming sergeant exam (planned for spring 2027).
- Item 5 – Substitution of Experience for Education/FTO/Leadership (FPC212525): Todd proposed allowing substitution of up to one year of service for a bachelor’s degree, field training officer (FTO) service, or leadership courses, similar to the fire department’s practice. Chair Spencer expressed opposition to including FTO or leadership courses, citing concerns about variability in quality and departmental control over who serves as FTO. The committee held the item to the call of the chair for further discussion.
Key Outcomes
- Service Requirement Reduction: The committee reached consensus to reduce the sergeant exam service requirement from seven to six years for all officers, and to allow detectives with two years of detective experience to substitute one year, making them eligible at five years. The consensus will be forwarded to the full FPC for inclusion in the job announcement bulletin at the next meeting (May 21, 2026).
- Discipline Requirement: No action taken; held to the call of the chair. The committee will continue discussions on a discipline matrix that distinguishes between integrity and non-integrity offenses.
- Experience Substitution: No action taken; held to the call of the chair.
- Minutes Approval: Discrepancy between minutes (motion failed) and transcript (motion carried) remains unresolved.
- Meeting adjourned at 5:39 PM.
Meeting Transcript
This is the May 12th, 2026 meeting of the Fire and Police Commission's Testing and Recruiting Committee. President are Commissioners Evans, Horwitz, Remy, myself, Commissioner Spencer. Commissioner War Patterson is excused. Also present as FPC Executive Director Leon Todd. Thank you, Madam Chair. The first item is item number one, public comment. However, we do not, I don't believe we have anybody here today for public comment. All right, there being no comments, this concludes the public comment portion of the meeting. Director, please proceed. Second item on the agenda is FPC 212493. Resolution to approve the March 10th, 2026 meeting minutes. Is there a motion on this matter? So move. Second. Okay, great. Any discussion? All right, I'll take a voice vote for this item. All those in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Aye. All right, that's all of us. Motion carries. Director, please proceed with the agenda. The third item on the agenda is FPC two one two four nine three communication relating to the minimum service requirements for the police sergeant promotional examination. And Madam Chair, with your permission, just give a brief overview. Excuse me. So this uh was referred I I think at the uh second meeting in April uh to this committee. Uh the recommendation that I'm making in this respect is to shorten the um continuous service requirement for the sergeant position from seven years to uh to six years. Uh historically, this was set at five years. Um, and then I believe in 2019, uh at the uh request of then chief uh Morales, this was increased to seven years. Uh seven years is at the upper end of what is the uh um a reasonable range for the uh uh sergeant position. Uh typically uh or my understanding at least is nationwide, the average is around five years. Um so this recommendation would bring us more in line with that. Uh it's consistent with uh separate recommendation that was made by uh former FPC research and policy analyst Barbara Cooley back in 2023. Uh and although she recommended uh the five years, uh the department police department has indicated that it would be more comfortable with six years uh going forward. Uh so that's the reason why uh I selected the number six. Uh, you should also note that uh we've received a letter from the Milwaukee Police Supervisors organization, which had an alternative proposal. Um, and I think that the alternative proposal was to excuse me to reduce it from seven to six years, but only for those members uh who are currently uh police detectives, um, and that they would prefer that rather than the general uh reduction for all members. Uh we do have a representative of uh the MPSO with us here today, uh Chris Martin. Um I'm happy to answer any other questions uh that you have. I would also add that uh it's our it's still our goal to do uh police promotional exams on a two-year uh cycle. Uh we did uh detective and lieutenant last year. It's we're doing uh sergeant this year. Uh we're a little delayed due to other other testing that we've had to do. Uh but uh it's our our plan to bring the sergeant job announcement bulletin to uh the full FPC board at the next meeting on May 21st. Uh and we're hopeful you can give us some guidance as to whether or not it should be six or seven years uh in advance of that meeting. Uh okay, great. Um I have a quick question, which is where is the push for decreasing the years coming from? FPC MPD, one of the unions. What's happening?
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