The Role of the Police and Fire Commission and Selecting Police and Fire Personnel

Duties, powers, and responsibilities

Time: 8:30 am-noon (registration beginning at 8:00 am)
Instructors: Scott Herrick, Claire Silverman

Police and fire services play critical roles in safe and healthy communities, and police and fire commissions are charged with ensuring that police officers and firefighters are carefully selected and supervised. These two workshops provide an overview of the duties and responsibilities of police and fire commissioners, and a careful review of what is required to ensure legal and effective selection procedures. These workshops are recommended for new and experienced commissioners as well as for police and fire command staff.

Course outline:

Why we have a commission

Overview of police and fire services

Powers and duties of the commission

• Its Place in Government
• Appointments to the Commission
• Relationship to Other Laws
• Open Meetings
• Public Records
• Employee Personnel Records Law
• Optional Powers

Hearings

• Statutory requirements
• Other legal requirements
  • Notice, charges, representation, witnesses
• Problems with hearings
• Appeals

Discussion: Commission Problems and Solutions

Lunch (included in registration fee if attending both sessions)

 

Selecting Police and Fire Personnel

Time: 1:00 pm-4:00 pm (registration beginning at 12:30 pm)
Instructor: Neil Strobel

Course outline:

Hiring Entry-Level Personnel

• Effective procedures
• Joint efforts with other agencies
• Recruiting and keeping good employees
• Role of the Department

Promotion

• Internal procedures
• Role of the commission

Hiring Chiefs

• Recruitment and selection
• Key qualities of chiefs
• Effective procedures

 

Instructors for the Role of Police and Fire Commission

Scott Herrick, Attorney Herrick & Kasdorf LLP
Claire Silverman: Legal Counsel, League of Wisconsin Municipalities
Neil Strobel: Retired Chief, Merrill Police Department

 

Who should enroll

Fire and police commissioners, fire and police chiefs and other executive officers, mayors, municipal attorneys, HR personnel, city council and village/town board members. This program is applicable to both new and experienced officials and commission members.

 

Some of the issues to be discussed:

• What are the powers of the mayor, the council/ board, the commission, and the chief?
• How involved with the department should commission members be?
• What special challenges face a commission during fiscally tight times?
• Who holds the records of the commission and who can see them?
• What should a commission look for in a chief?
• In a disciplinary hearing, does the "accused" have the right to counsel?
• When does the "just cause" requirement apply?
• What is the impact of federal laws such as ADA and FLSA?

 

What past participants have said

• "I would recommend this seminar, and actually recommend that Commission members return annually."
• "I learned what I must do, what I can do, and what I cannot do, absolutely."
• "I learned a lot in a short amount of time."
• "The seminar was very helpful and practical."
• "I learned the latest facts on the role of the PFC. This was very helpful."
  
  
  

General information

To register: You must pre-register. Use the enrollment form (see registration options) and mail or fax (608-265-3163) to the Registration Office; or call 608-262-2451. Fees must be paid with the enrollment or a purchase order or other appropriate authorization sent with the form. All enrollments are accepted in the order received as space is available. You may send a substitute if you cannot attend. If an emergency forces your cancellation from the program, please notify us as soon as possible to allow a person on the program’s waiting list to attend.

Fee: $65, includes instruction, materials, refreshment breaks, CEUs, and nonrefundable administrative fee of $20. Fee for both workshops: $128 includes all of the above and lunch. For groups of three or more from the same jurisdiction and making a single payment, fee per workshop per person is $55, both workshops per person is $105.

Cancellation policy: If you are unable to attend or arrange for a substitute, you may obtain a refund minus the $20 administrative fee by contacting our registration department at least 3 business days prior to the program. If you cancel 3 business days or less before the program, or do not attend, you are responsible for the entire fee. To cancel or arrange for a substitute, please call 800-725-9692.

Lodging: You and your department are responsible for all travel, food, lodging, and parking costs. You're also responsible for making your own lodging reservations.

• In Wausau, go to: www.ci.wausau.wi.us for a listing
• In Brookfield, rooms are available at the Best Western Midway. For further information call 877-664-3929 or visit the Web site: www.midwayhotels.com

CEUs: 0.3 continuing education units will be awarded for the completion of one of the May 4 or June 22 courses. An additional 0.3 CEUs will be awarded for the completion of both May 4 and June 22 courses.

CLEs: WI CLEs have been applied for. MN CLEs may be available on request.

For more information call: Bonnie Schmidt at 608-890-2102 or email bschmidt@dcs.wisc.edu

Registration options:

By phone: Call 608-262-7942 or toll-free 800-725-9692.

By mail: Print, complete and mail the UW Continuing Studies registration form.

By fax: Print, complete and fax the UW Continuing Studies registration form.

Online: Secure online registration will be available for this program.

• Duties, powers, and responsibilities (May 4, 2010)
• Selecting police and fire personnel (May 4, 2010)

 

 

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