Department of Emergency Communications

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances ch. 390

in effect

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 390-1 Department Created.

390-1. Department Created. There is created a department of emergency communications, which shall be responsible for the administration, coordination and implementation of the city's unified emergency communications services.

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 390-3 Purpose.

390-3. Purpose. The department of emergency communications shall: 1. Implement and manage the city’s unified emergency communications center. 2. Maintain and improve the quality of 9-1-1 services. 3. Assure equity in emergency communications responses. 4. Incorporate nationally accepted public safety standards, best practices and guidelines into department policies and procedures. 5. Establish metrics for assessing 9-1-1 and emergency communications center operations based on public safety industry standards. 6. Implement rules and policies as directed by the fire and police commission. 7. Implement operational response guidelines and protocols for the fire department as directed by the fire chief and for the police department as directed by the chief of police. 8. Serve as the city’s public safety answering point and designated point of contact for first responders, including 24-hours-per-day, 7-days-per-week, 365-days-per-year dispatch services for emergency and non-emergency call-answering, radio monitoring and transmissions, and computer-aided dispatch to support the public safety efforts of the Milwaukee police and fire departments and the public safety departments of surrounding municipalities.

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 390-5 Administration.

390-5. Administration. Under the direction of the fire and police commission, the department of emergency communications shall be administered by a director of emergency communications.

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 390-7 Director of Emergency Communications.

390-7. Director of Emergency Communications. 1. APPOINTMENT. The director of the department of emergency communications shall be appointed by the fire and police commission to a term of office of 4 years. 2. DUTIES. Under the direction of the fire and police commission, the director shall: a. Manage and supervise department operations. b. Prepare the department’s budget. c. Research and develop department goals based on nationally accepted public safety standards and guidelines. d. Facilitate communication and collaboration between the executive director of the fire and police commission, chief of police, fire chief, director of the department of administration, director of the department of employee relations, chief information officer, budget and management director and city purchasing director. e. Prepare and issue an annual report on the department’s activities.

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 390-8 Special Deputy.

390-8. Special Deputy. The director of emergency communications may designate as a special deputy director of emergency communications a competent person within his or her office to act for and in his or her stead in specified matters without additional compensation. Such an appointment shall be in writing and copies filed in the city clerk’s office setting forth the specific acts the special deputy is authorized to perform in the name of the director of emergency communications. Such authority may be revoked and amended in the same manner. Within the scope of his or her specified authority, the special deputy may perform any and all acts required of the director of emergency communications. The director of emergency communications shall be responsible for all acts of any special deputy. The special deputy shall, before entering upon his or her duties, take the oath required of city officers.

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 390-11 Annual Report.

390-11. Annual Report. The director of the department of emergency communications shall submit an annual written report of the department’s activities under this section to the fire and police commission, the common council and the mayor.

Source: City of Milwaukee Legislative Reference Bureau, Milwaukee City Charter and Code of Ordinances (city.milwaukee.gov master PDFs)URL: https://city.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary/Groups/ccClerk/Ordinances/Volume-3/CH390.pdf#page=1Fetched: 10/26/2026