Wis. Council May Subpoena Chief Over Radio System

MILWAUKEE --

Milwaukee's Common Council could vote to subpoena the city's police chief on Wednesday.

Members of the public safety committee approved the subpoena on a 3-2 vote Tuesday. They want Chief Ed Flynn to answer questions about the department's new "open sky" radio system, a new digital radio system that the Milwaukee Police Department started using in February 2010.

Alderman Bob Donovan, chairman of the committee, said he has received complaints from the officers about the system failing. He also said there are other compatibility issues with the radios that could compromise officer safety.

Donovan said has made several requests for information about open sky and how the system was chosen, but those requests have not been honored.

During Tuesday's hearing, Alderman Robert Puente, a former police officer, said he does not believe issuing a subpoena will solve the problem.

"I don't think anyone here doesn't want to get down to the bottom of the problem," Puente said. "I know that we all care about public safety, especially of the officers who are using these radios."

"When you have a problem with a system as expensive as this and as important to the safety of our officers as this, I believe we would not be doing our job appropriately if we didn't look into this," Donovan said.

Committee members who voted against the subpoena said using that process to get the information they need would take too long and cost the city too much money.

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