[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6565550,"mediaKeyId","3217790-9eed033f23d7b40d30c435bb3d1efcec","parentId",3217790,"title","FPC Testing and Recruiting Committee approves March 11 meeting minutes","audioSeconds",43,"startMs",33000,"endMs",76000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3217790-9eed033f23d7b40d30c435bb3d1efcec&start=33&end=76","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3217790-9eed033f23d7b40d30c435bb3d1efcec/thumbnail_33000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6565550/Milwaukee/Milwaukee-County/Wisconsin/FPC-Testing-and-Recruiting-Committee-approves-March-11-meeting-minutes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6565550-d13803a0ff6e0b014978544ea921497b/orig.mp4?Expires=1773144967&Signature=O0aoUGESA63dDjI-aHlLPXeEKabZr534xx7GNEhURAxFrhj-Ruz6eJB5Zb8OQiQ5kz5MI7ccHoprOo203O-NjAZ4R7-g5yJW8Ac643J9g8N0lD1aFcVqNJGmUhYdCjqzT4wYdJJRi3hgBpcMbEIJfJZNMPFlfNI8v-wMZ3-jN7QzR2F0S4a4nDTKmtEdSGa8WNYuu9GBBIlyEk2CBgbLSZl9Eyg~SEsIA4eBGRClV-qEp9sqVMy~xb9jkiJ~Eggux8NbOeQQz1gLA7sxVuvhIZiGXswVp3YlklbEoJaejKuj6TlMgWMGNlGZTX8i5Ypgf2Tv2SCRWCQ8JP~vIbm9Aw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Milwaukee","date","2025-05-06T16:38:00Z","article","At the May 6, 2025 meeting of the Fire and Police Commission's Testing and Recruiting Committee, members voted to approve resolution FPC 212,052, adopting the minutes from the committee's March 11, 2025 meeting.

The committee chair called for a motion; a motion and a second were made, and the chair took a voice vote. Multiple members responded “aye” and the chair said the motion carried. No recorded roll-call tally was taken during the committee meeting; the action was recorded as approved by voice vote.

Taper: The committee proceeded to take up a communication from the Milwaukee Fire Department on recruitment after approving the minutes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Milwaukee - FPC TESTING AND RECRUITING COMMITTEE on 2025-05-06 4:30 PM - May 06, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The committee approved resolution FPC 212,052 to adopt the March 11, 2025 meeting minutes by voice vote at the May 6 committee meeting.","taxTitle","Milwaukee , Milwaukee County, Wisconsin","taxId",2851,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6565554,"Milwaukee Police defends Traffic Safety Unit as staffing falls from 2021 levels",1594,2126000,3720000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3217790-9eed033f23d7b40d30c435bb3d1efcec&start=2126&end=3720","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3217790-9eed033f23d7b40d30c435bb3d1efcec/thumbnail_2126000.jpg","/articles/6565554/Milwaukee/Milwaukee-County/Wisconsin/Milwaukee-Police-defends-Traffic-Safety-Unit-as-staffing-falls-from-2021-levels","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6565554-f913cf39564115edebf3efa5ce016c33/orig.mp4?Expires=1773144967&Signature=TYkBBDMUbknFOhtaUpEhMFLlmUu6PizYaJemifiwanDEFIzo5ysTopClozxb06zfO7MIkZHZka2-OpJi6aWibIMwX2sbmoFjGu3iIehnu6A5fa1rSgs3S3esD5gbecmd81pxFGkCdPk2oKt0n9zYP9cX-nz7ErB2lsLopMkZSBoCNOjlLkR-4Hc9Jp5oMFMzs6W~e0XYC~IfuLCs8PgtqyxBgIHruLOInRhNvIa7siereHBFQzsbqWqSvSBLydR002-T9bBHsOeCL6lXoUt2n6Lp6Pb~yPOxYChbVuRvhVk2TYtjONNB-jaFC8peLHc14wBmrSk7Cu6xqdz-kFby9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Milwaukee Police Department told the Fire and Police Commission's Testing and Recruiting Committee on May 6, 2025, that the Traffic Safety Unit (TSU) remains a valuable tool for addressing reckless driving and street takeovers even though unit staffing has fallen from roughly 20 officers in 2021 to about 10 officers currently.

Assistant Chief Johnson said the department considers TSU worth maintaining despite the staffing decline because the specialized unit focuses resources on reckless driving and coordinates with districts and other agencies. \"The department's position is, yes, it is worth it because 10 officers dedicated to responding to those areas…\" Johnson said.

MPD provided several data points to illustrate TSU activity and broader traffic enforcement: a January–June 2024 period included 521 vehicle pursuits across all districts, 313 of which were initiated for reckless driving; TSU officers accounted for 59% of citywide traffic citations in 2024, the department said. Sergeant Gary Cherone, who oversees TSU operations, told commissioners the unit recently completed interviews for a posting and expected to forward recommendations to command by the end of the week.

Why it matters: Department officials said TSU provides focused enforcement, rapid deployment to events such as street takeovers, and education through crime-and-safety meetings and school outreach. The committee was given context that district staffing constraints, the addition of 25 school resource officers and evolving deployment needs have affected the pool of officers available for TSU assignments.

Resource constraints and priorities: TSU leaders told the committee they lack vehicles, parking and other resources to expand the unit to the 30-officer level they said would be ideal. Capt. Schley and Sergeant Cherone emphasized balancing requests for personnel against department-wide needs: timing of requests, impact on other divisions, and available equipment factor into whether TSU can increase staffing. Sergeant Cherone said the unit remains effective even while reduced and that outreach and education remain priorities alongside enforcement.

Community safety and street takeovers: commissioners and MPD staff discussed “street takeovers” — large informal gatherings where drivers perform maneuvers — and the difficulty of predicting or pre-empting events that are organized via private social-media channels. Assistant Chief Johnson said the department has trained TSU members for these events and that rapid deployment is often necessary.

No formal action: the committee received the communication; there was no vote to change TSU staffing levels at this meeting. MPD said it will continue a recruitment and selection process to fill current vacancies and will report back as staffing changes.

Taper: commissioners thanked MPD for the update and asked for continued data on pursuits, TSU staffing and deployment as the department proceeds with interviews and background checks.","Milwaukee Police Department officials told the FPC Testing and Recruiting Committee on May 6 that despite a drop in Traffic Safety Unit staffing from roughly 20 officers to 10, the unit remains necessary and accounted for 59% of the city's traffic citations in 2024; MPD is recruiting to refill vacancies.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":46,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6565556,"Milwaukee Fire Department details recruitment push as summer application window opens",2045,2121000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3217790-9eed033f23d7b40d30c435bb3d1efcec&start=76&end=2121","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3217790-9eed033f23d7b40d30c435bb3d1efcec/thumbnail_76000.jpg","/articles/6565556/Milwaukee/Milwaukee-County/Wisconsin/Milwaukee-Fire-Department-details-recruitment-push-as-summer-application-window-opens","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6565556-ae695a9f08a826a8d4be196e4483dbe2/orig.mp4?Expires=1773144967&Signature=E1sXEAAKH8jTuDyEcL1I~zqAQb3-nVIdD3hspbqoBJOhSuQvQEQdF3F28OS7xieq4wf2ltDc~g8CMmiV5YwIgspCWo~oTppsxSm97gM3PSEDz7GPcmWszULzpQSC6O3Cm-qHY3syQScXGUis2zzUEma5pA7zVIbm0U00Z5yx8s~E1D~JacLVcMJDBeaNO1LE4a8jS0WmvTXWn6Fs2JCONlYh~Q5zZ0IW53RGU5zqxNQnBKZ5vTutuqINKYqPNE9xGIANchER257GKsAeLr9j27Qwhq8Rq4CKWgg8AZ~XjSyfwguuRojpPGSTdXCLO7hrUlclO38UrjDakF8KbnnKTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Milwaukee Fire Department told the Fire and Police Commission's Testing and Recruiting Committee on May 6, 2025, that it will run a firefighter recruitment campaign that began in early May and is scheduled to run through June 30, and outlined steps the department says will improve candidate readiness, retention and diversity.

The department described the recruitment as a “bucket” process—building a pool of applicants and then moving qualified candidates into selection and the department academy—and said the effort pairs marketing, community outreach and one-on-one support for candidates who need academic or fitness help. “We're looking to basically fill a bucket and then do things with the people in that bucket,” Assistant Chief Parrish said during the presentation.

The committee was told the posting opened in early May and that staff had already seen more than 200 applications within days; recruiter Jordan Dickerson reported \"2 40 ish\" applications on the first day of the opening. Recruiters Jocelyn Morales and Jordan Dickerson described outreach including community events, library and community resource center drop-offs, targeted Spanish-language media (Telemundo), and a candidate engagement newsletter and video series intended to reduce attrition while candidates wait for class assignment. \"They do not have to be citizens in order to apply,\" Morales said during the presentation, referring to applicants with work permits and DACA status.

Why it matters: MFD trains firefighters in its own academy and has prioritized smaller, repeat recruitments rather than large media blitzes that once yielded thousands of applicants and unmanageable candidate lists. Department speakers told commissioners the smaller approach produces a more manageable pool and improves the quality of candidates who reach the academy.

Key details and supports: presenters described one-on-one academic and fitness supports, peer support programs, and partnerships with external consultants for pre-physical exams and human performance. Staff said the department has added recruitment marketing materials aimed at women (posters for nursing programs, college campuses and gyms), runs youth and community events such as Camp Hero, and produces testimonial videos from current firefighters to send to candidates. Assistant Chief Parrish and recruiters said these steps are intended to improve both applicant volume and candidate preparedness for the academic and physical demands of the academy.

Timing and capacity: presenters said the department has recently increased class frequency, resulting in faster use of eligible lists; staff reported they may be able to place candidates in classes beginning in late 2026 or in 2027 depending on attrition and hiring targets. The department described a temporary increase to back-to-back classes driven in part by Act 12 (referenced during the meeting); once the department reaches its maintenance-of-effort staffing target it expects to return to a less frequent schedule.

What commissioners asked: Commissioners praised the department's shift to smaller recruitments and asked about retention and targeted outreach. Commissioner Evans called the presentation “thorough” and noted improvements the department has made. Commissioners asked about the candidate newsletter and specific outreach to women; recruiters said the newsletter will combine video and print material and that targeted posters and social-media posts are being used to reach female applicants.

What the department did not decide: the committee received the communication for information; no formal action or vote on the recruitment plan was taken at the May 6 committee meeting. Staff said they will return with further updates about timing and the department's maintenance-of-effort projections.

Taper: recruiters said they will continue community events and targeted outreach through the summer application window and will report back on application counts and the department’s projected timeline to reach its staffing goals.","Milwaukee Fire Department and FPC recruiters told the Testing and Recruiting Committee on May 6 that the department is using smaller, more frequent recruitments, community outreach, and retention tools to fill academy classes; applications opened in early May and staff reported roughly 240 applications within days.","actionData","errors"]

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FPC Testing and Recruiting Committee approves March 11 meeting minutes

Milwaukee Police defends Traffic Safety Unit as staffing falls from 2021 levels

Milwaukee Fire Department details recruitment push as summer application window opens