Badger InstituteBadger Institute
  • Home
  • Issues
    • Taxes
    • Education
    • Crime & Justice
    • Spending & Accountability
    • Economy & Infrastructure
    • Federalism
    • Licensing
    • Healthcare
    • Civil Society
  • Mandate for Madison
  • Research
  • Magazines
    • Diggings
    • Wisconsin Interest
  • Events
  • Media
    • Podcast
    • Fact Sheets
    • Viewpoints
    • Press Releases
    • Badger in the News
    • Video
    • Audio
    • Testimony
  • About
    • Our Mission
    • Board of Directors
    • Team
    • Visiting Fellows
    • America’s Future
    • Careers
  • Newsletter
  • Donate
  • Contact Us

Subscribe for Updates

Get the latest news and updates from Badger Institute.

What's New

UW-Milwaukee Graduation Numbers for Black Students Plummet Even Further

June 1, 2023

Why public school-goers support choice

June 1, 2023

Natural gas and regulation in Wisconsin: a policy brief

June 1, 2023
Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn Instagram
TRENDING:
  • UW-Milwaukee Graduation Numbers for Black Students Plummet Even Further
  • Why public school-goers support choice
  • Natural gas and regulation in Wisconsin: a policy brief
  • State landlords hit hard by eviction moratorium
  • Legislature protects Milwaukeeans from $15-per-rider fare-free trolley folly
  • Latest crime figures show a Milwaukee in trouble
  • Wisconsin lawmakers in the dark on broadband
  • Foreseeing the Future of Wisconsin’s Flat Tax
  • Donate
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn Instagram
Badger InstituteBadger Institute
SUPPORT OUR MISSION
  • Issues
    • Taxes
    • Education
    • Crime & Justice
    • Spending & Accountability
    • Economy & Infrastructure
    • Federalism
    • Licensing
    • Healthcare
    • Civil Society
  • Mandate for Madison
  • Research
  • Magazines
    • Diggings
    • Wisconsin Interest
  • Events
  • Media
    • Podcast
    • Fact Sheets
    • Viewpoints
    • Press Releases
    • Badger in the News
    • Video
    • Audio
    • Testimony
  • About
    • Our Mission
    • Board of Directors
    • Team
    • Visiting Fellows
    • America’s Future
    • Careers
Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn
DONATE
Badger InstituteBadger Institute
Home » Crime and Justice » Police discipline in Wisconsin rare, lacking in transparency
Crime and Justice

Police discipline in Wisconsin rare, lacking in transparency

By Badger InstituteNovember 3, 2020
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest

Brief suggests ways to make officer discipline fair, quick, transparent and decisive

Contact: Badger Institute President Mike Nichols: Mike@Badgerinstitute.org or 262-389-8239

Disciplinary actions against police officers in Wisconsin’s largest cities are rare but marred by a lack of transparency that undermines public trust, according to a policy brief released today by the Badger Institute.

In the brief, titled “How to Make Police Discipline Fair, Quick, Transparent and Decisive,” author Patrick Hughes surveyed an array of Wisconsin police departments to understand the processes used to discipline officers and ensure due process. He then looked more extensively at the Madison and Milwaukee police departments.

Hughes, a corrections consultant with the Badger Institute, found that in 2017 there were 61 disciplinary actions filed against 2,470 Milwaukee Police Department staff members, approximately one-fourth of whom were civilians — a rate of 2.5%. In Madison in 2019, there were only seven disciplinary actions in a department of 650 – more than 480 sworn officers and the rest civilians — a rate of 1.1%.

The reasons for discipline, the process for determining wrongdoing and the punitive actions taken by police departments or police and fire commissions are often ambiguous, according to Hughes.

“Our ongoing research into police use-of-force policies, public complaints against law enforcement and officer discipline reveal a significant and systemic lack of transparency in most Wisconsin law enforcement agencies,” said Hughes. “While these incidents are rare, when they do occur, officers must be held accountable in a way that allows the public to know what misconduct occurred and what actions were taken to address it.”

One police department, however, stands apart for its transparency.

“Madison and Milwaukee offer a tale of two departments,” said Badger Institute President Mike Nichols. “Madison is laudably transparent regarding instances of discipline and should be a model for policymakers. Milwaukee, on the other hand, emphatically demonstrates the need for reform. A lack of transparency in police departments, compounded by redundant systems and unaccountable processes like arbitration, often foster community distrust.”

The brief includes several policy recommendations to help assure Wisconsin communities that all officers are committed to protecting their fellow citizens. Among these are greater transparency, extension of Act 10 to police, elimination of arbitration and the extension of probationary periods.

“Police officers deserve due process when accused of misconduct,” said Nichols. “At the same time, police chiefs and elected officials need the authority to act decisively in the case of bad actors. And Wisconsin residents deserve to know if the process is efficient, fair and decisive.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Telegram Email
Badger Institute

Related Posts

Violence has progressives bringing cops back to schools

May 16, 2023

State lawmakers want cops back in Milwaukee Public Schools

May 1, 2023

Gov. Evers’ wide world of diversity, equity and inclusion

April 27, 2023
Categories
Top Posts

Local pols filling old budget holes with massive COVID aid

December 8, 20221,490

This is not four years ago

November 10, 20221,317

Latest crime figures show a Milwaukee in trouble

March 23, 2023937

Legislature protects Milwaukeeans from $15-per-rider fare-free trolley folly

May 11, 2023759
Archives

Sign Up for Top Picks

Our weekly e-Newsletter with the latest items and updates

Connect with Badger Institute
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
About Us
About Us

The Badger Institute is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit institute established in 1987 working to engage and energize Wisconsinites and others in discussions and timely action on key public policy issues critical to the state’s future, growth and prosperity.

Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn

Sign Up for Top Picks

Our weekly e-Newsletter with the latest items and updates

What’s New

UW-Milwaukee Graduation Numbers for Black Students Plummet Even Further

June 1, 2023

Why public school-goers support choice

June 1, 2023

Natural gas and regulation in Wisconsin: a policy brief

June 1, 2023

State landlords hit hard by eviction moratorium

May 25, 2023
© 2023 Badger Institute | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Sitemap

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience.

Privacy settings

Privacy Settings

This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience. Which cookies and scripts are used and how they impact your visit is specified on the left. You may change your settings at any time. Your choices will not impact your visit.

NOTE: These settings will only apply to the browser and device you are currently using.

CRM Software

Customer Relationship Management Software

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a web analytics service offered by Google that tracks and reports website traffic. Google uses the data collected to track and monitor the use of our Service. This data is shared with other Google services. Google may use the collected data to contextualize and personalize the ads of its own advertising network.

You can opt-out of having made your activity on the Service available to Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on. The add-on prevents the Google Analytics JavaScript (ga.js, analytics.js, and dc.js) from sharing information with Google Analytics about visits activity.

For more information on the privacy practices of Google, please visit the Google Privacy & Terms web page: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en

Powered by Cookie Information