By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
The rules and responsibilities governing members of the Whitewater Police and Fire Commission are in the process of a thorough review by the current appointed body.
At the commission’s meeting Nov. 6, members reviewed policies concerning oaths of office, code of ethics, commissioner responsibilities and expectations, a complaint process and the hiring of sworn personnel within the department.
Some of the policies are being refreshed to synch up with the latest language in state statutes, while others are designed to help guide commissioners as pivotal decisions are made in the road ahead.
Jan Bilgren, president of the commission, said she favored the review at this point.
“It helps those who serve and want to serve understand the expectations,” Bilgren said.
Commissioners spent a fair amount of time discussing their role in hiring police personnel. A general consensus was reached the bulk of the responsibilities lie with the department’s command staff.
“We don’t do a lot of important human resources work, except for every 20 years when we need to hire a new police chief,” said council member Ken Kidd, who serves as a commissioner.
While discussing commissioners’ responsibilities and expectations, it was suggested routine training would be needed – at the city’s expense – in an effort to understand current laws and overarching goals within the city.
Commissioners are not paid for their service – a common practice for communities the size of Whitewater. But the prospect of being paid, particularly in light of the commitment toward training, was briefly discussed at the most recent meeting.
Police Chief Lisa Otterbacher discussed the complaint process and some of the current protocol.
“If (the complaint) is criminal in nature, it has to be investigated independently,” Otterbacher said. “It usually involves an outside agency. The sheriff’s department is a logical choice.”
