Milwaukee Police Department updates organizational chart, adds drone unit and revises multiple SOPs

The Milwaukee Police Department on Feb. 6, 2025, notified the Fire and Police Commission of multiple updates to its organizational chart and several standard operating procedures (SOPs) and standard operating instructions (SOIs).

MPD officials told commissioners the packet includes revisions to the department’s organizational chart, several SOPs and the community service officer program manual. The organizational chart changes rename or reassign units (for example, the licensing unit renamed to the licensure investigation unit), add the airborne assessment unit under specialized patrol to reflect new unmanned aircraft system capability, and move recruiting and retention under the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement. Records work was reorganized to separate open‑records responsibilities from records management.

SOP revisions include administrative updates to reflect the transfer of the Technical Communications Division to the Department of Emergency Communications (DEC); updates to uniforms, equipment and appearance (including adding an American flag patch to right sleeve and gold sleeve bands on the class A uniform); adding tourniquets to equipment issued to community service officers; and clarifications to field interview, search and seizure and citizen-contact protocols about how officers introduce themselves “to the extent the situation allows,” with examples given for mental‑health responses and high‑risk contacts. The department also updated the sensitive‑crimes response procedure to align who must be contacted for certain investigations and removed a redundant reference to storage of assault kits at Police Administration Building now that the sensitive‑crimes unit maintains custody at a partner site.

MPD officials said the change adding an airborne assessment (drone) unit follows the department’s acquisition of unmanned aircraft system technology and that a forthcoming SOI will be provided to the commission for review. The department also reported minor administrative changes to vehicle‑theft reporting procedures and noted updates to how shot‑spotter data is logged into the CAD system, removing the prior requirement that officers report shot‑spotter alerts to the fusion division before the end of their tour.

Commissioners asked about potential federal implications of policy changes and grant funding; MPD officials said they are monitoring potential federal actions and that, at present, they were not aware of federal grant awards that would be affected and recommended referring grant‑funding questions to the mayor’s office. The department also noted staffing and facility consolidations and that the organizational chart had not been revised frequently in recent years.

MPD officials requested the commission accept the communication; commissioners asked questions and requested the forthcoming SOI on unmanned aircraft systems once complete.