61.65 Police and fire departments; pension funds.

820 words·~4 min read·/wi/chapter-61/61-65-7

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

(a)Except as provided under s. 61.66 , each village with a population of 5,000 or more shall, and each village with a population of under 5,000 may, provide police protection services by one of the following methods:

1. Creating its own police department.

2. Contracting for police protective services with a city or town, with another village, or with a county. A village that contracts for police protective services shall pay the full cost of services provided. A village may not contract with a county to provide all of the village’s police protective services under this subdivision.

3. Creating a joint police department with a city or town or with another village.

4. Abolishing its police department and entering into a contract with a county under s. 59.03

(e)for the county sheriff to provide law enforcement services in all parts of the village. If the village is located in more than one county, it may not abolish its police department under this subdivision unless the village enters into a contract under this subdivision with the county in which the greatest amount of the village’s equalized value, population, or territory is located. If a village wishes to abolish its police department under this subdivision, it shall act under s. 62.13

(2s), and s. 62.13

(2s), as it applies to cities, applies to villages.

(am)If a village establishes a police department and does not create a board of police commissioners singly or in combination with another municipality, or if a village board establishes a combined protective services department under s. 61.66 and does not create a board of police and fire commissioners, the village may not suspend, reduce, suspend and reduce, or remove any police chief, chief of a combined protective services department, or other law enforcement officer who is not probationary, and for whom there is no valid and enforceable contract of employment or collective bargaining agreement which provides for a fair review prior to that suspension, reduction, suspension and reduction or removal, unless the village does one of the following:

1. Establishes a committee of not less than 3 members, none of whom may be an elected or appointed official of the village or be employed by the village. The committee shall act under s. 62.13

(5)in place of a board of police and fire commissioners. The village board may provide for some payment to each member for the member’s cost of serving on the committee at a rate established by the village board.

2. Appoint a person who is not an elected or appointed official of the village and who is not employed by the village. The person shall act under s. 62.13

(5)in place of a board of police and fire commissioners. The village board may provide for some payment to that person for serving under this subdivision at a rate established by the village board.

a. Each village with a population of 5,000 or more but less than 5,500 that creates its own police department may create or designate a committee of the board of trustees to perform any duty conferred by the board relating to police protective services, or may create a board of police commissioners to govern the department.

b. Each village with a population of 5,000 or more that creates a joint police department with another municipality shall create a joint board of police commissioners with that municipality to govern the joint department.

2. Each village with a population of 5,500 or more that creates its own police department shall create a board of police commissioners to govern the department.

(a)Except as provided under s. 61.66 , each village with a population of 5,500 or more shall provide fire protection services by one of the following methods:

1. Creating its own fire department.

2. Contracting for fire protection services with a city or town or with another village. A village that contracts for fire protection services shall pay the full cost of services provided.

3. Creating a joint fire department with a city or town or with another village.

4. Utilizing a fire company organized under ch. 213 , except that this subdivision does not apply in a village that provides fire protection services under subd. 1. on December 9, 1993.

1. Each village with a population of 5,500 or more that creates its own fire department shall create a board of fire commissioners to govern the department.

2. Each village with a population of 5,500 or more that creates a joint fire department with another municipality shall create a joint board of fire commissioners with that municipality to govern the joint department.

(a)Any village with its own board of police commissioners and its own board of fire commissioners may consolidate the boards into one board of police and fire commissioners.