Milwaukee commission affirms DEC firing of telecommunicator Yolanda Young for integrity violations

A Milwaukee disciplinary commission on Oct. 21, 2025, upheld the Department of Emergency Communications' decision to discharge telecommunicator Yolanda Young, concluding by a preponderance of the evidence that Young violated the DEC code of conduct for integrity and conduct unbecoming an employee and—by a 2-1 margin—failed to notify a supervisor within 72 hours of off-duty police contact.

The three-member panel of deciding commissionersRamon Evans, Chrissy Fong and Reuben Burgosaffirmed Director Tony Bueno's termination decision after a daylong pre-discharge hearing that included testimony from Milwaukee Police Department investigators, DEC investigators and Young herself. Director Tony Bueno told the commission, "Integrity is is a core value of the department. It's it's the first among them, and it's critically important..." and cited concerns about retaining a telecommunicator whose credibility could later undermine criminal prosecutions.

Why it matters: call-taking and dispatch positions require public and partner-agency trust because 911 call takers provide information relied on by police and fire. Tristan Brody, DEC quality assurance manager, testified about that reliance: "When the callers are calling us, they have to have the utmost trust that we're we have their best interest in mind." Detective Andrew Marks, who investigated the June shooting incident that precipitated DEC's internal inquiry, testified about operational risk if dispatchers are not dependable, saying, "We need to trust a dispatcher. I mean, it could literally be the difference between life and death."

Evidence and findings - The commission heard that on June 13, 2025, two people were shot and that a vehicle connected to the shooting was driven to a police district by Young. Detective Marks testified investigators determined Young initially denied knowledge of who shot the victims; he said Young later admitted the shooterduring a Mirandized interview at the police station hours after her arrest.

- DEC presented a pre-discharge notice and the departmentpolicies and procedures handbook (adopted when DEC went live on Feb. 16, 2025) that includes section 1.5 (conduct unbecoming), section 1.16 (integrity) and section 1.28 (supervisory notification within 72 hours). Deputy Director Annemarie Domurat (spelled in the record) and Brody testified that Young attended an in-service on Jan. 27, 2025, covering the department's expectations. Brody summarized the investigation he conducted and produced contemporaneous notes, memoranda and text-message screenshots the department introduced into evidence.

- Young testified she called 911 the morning of June 13, provided identifying information, and later drove a vehicle she said had been stolen to District 7. Young told the commission she "did call 911, and I did provide my people's office, which were, to let my job know that it was me that was calling," and that she planned to speak to a supervisor in person when she returned to work but was suspended before that could occur. She also said she did not see anyone with a gun and that she only heard a single gunshot.

- Commissioners concluded unanimously that the integrity and conduct-unbecoming charges were proven by a preponderance of the evidence. On the supervisory-notification charge (section 1.28), the panel split: two commissioners found a violation and one dissented; the record shows the commission treated that count as sustained by a 2-1 vote.

Action and procedural outcome The commission affirmed Director Bueno's decision to discharge Young. Relevant administrative steps recorded in the hearing record: - Administrative suspension: DEC placed Young on administrative suspension dated June 15, 2025, while the investigation proceeded (document in evidence). - Discharge: DEC issued a termination/ discharge notice dated July 8, 2025; the commission voted to affirm that discharge.

The commission notified the parties of Young's right to seek judicial review in circuit court. The DEC waived a 10-day waiver of written decision; Young declined to waive the 10-day period and will receive formal written notice of the decision and the 10-day review period.

Commissioners and other participants quoted in this article appear in the record and were heard during the Oct. 21 proceeding. The commission moved into closed session to deliberate under the applicable rules and returned to announce the findings and the decision to affirm termination.

What's next: the decision will be issued in writing to the parties; Young has the option to request circuit court review within 10 days of that written decision.