Dana World-Patterson Nominated to FPC

Mayor Tom Barrett is nominating human trafficking victims advocate Dana World-Patterson for a seat on the Fire & Police Commission (FPC).

The commission is responsible for hiring, firing, discipline and policy setting for the Milwaukee Police Department and Milwaukee Fire Department.

The nomination for a five-year, part-time term is subject to Common Council confirmation.

World-Patterson is no stranger to the council. Her nonprofit organization, Foundations for Freedom, was awarded a forgivable city loan earlier this year to redevelop an eight-unit, city-owned apartment building into a temporary home for women victimized by human trafficking and forced to perform commercial sex acts.

She also serves as a mayoral appointee on the Milwaukee Commission on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. World-Patterson is the chair of the Human Trafficking Task Force of Greater Milwaukee.

“Mrs. World-Patterson will bring an important perspective to the Fire and Police Commission with her understanding of crime victims and the role of public safety agencies in protecting vulnerable individuals,” said Barrett in a statement. “I thank her for her willingness to serve in this new role.”

World-Patterson would replace Ann Wilson, who has served with an expired term since 2018 and lived outside of the city for more than a year. The Common Council rejected Barrett’s reappointment of Wilson in March as a show of frustration with the FPC’s botched demolition of police chief Alfonso Morales. But under the law, Wilson continues to serve until a replacement is found or she resigns.

The replacement nomination comes months after Barrett’s chief of staff Jodie Tabak indicated a Wilson replacement was coming. In June, when the council expressed frustration with the slow process to replace Wilson and expand the commission to its fully-authorized nine members, Tabak said the mayor had recently discussed the position with a potential replacement. It is unclear if that was World-Patterson.

World-Patterson would be the seventh member of the commission. She would join a slate of 2021 appointees: Amanda Avalos, LaNelle Ramey, Joan Kessler and Edward Fallone. Barrett, who also expressed frustration with the Morales debacle, has replaced all  commissioners who voted for the former chief’s demotion as their terms expired, with the exception of Wilson.

A full-time staff led by executive director Leon W. Todd, III works with the commission.