Group made up of police supervisors is paying convicted felon



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- FOX6 News has learned a convicted felon is being paid to attend city of Milwaukee meetings, and the group paying him is made up of police supervisors who say the man in question isn't really someone they associate with -- so why are they paying him?

Bradley Debraska is the former head of the Milwaukee Police Association. He spent six months in prison after being found guilty of forging documents.

Debraska's days of being surrounded by controversy don't appear to be over.

Many thought Debraska's conviction and prison sentence would be the end of his public service. However, city leaders say Debraska has been showing up to City Hall with Milwaukee police officers under internal and criminal investigations, helping them to apply for "duty disability."

If granted, the officers are nearly guaranteed paychecks for life.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn and others are calling for changes to the "duty disability" program.

Chief Flynn says officers should think twice about working with Debraska, as a union has agreed to pay him.

The Milwaukee Police Supervisors Organization says it uses Debraska as a consultant. Records show Debraska is a regular at the Employees' Retirement Pension board meetings.

The president of the Milwaukee Police Supervisors Organization says Debraska is paid for notes he takes.

The union, however, is trying to draw the line between their checks and Debraska's involvement with duty disability.

The union says Debraska does not have any work space, and any work he's doing with duty disability, they're unaware of. The union says Debraska is not an employee. He's paid as a consultant for his knowledge on the global pension settlement and how the Employees' Retirement System functions.

They say Debraska does not represent the organization at ERS meetings -- the same group that handles duty disability claims.

When asked why Debraska is listed in meeting minutes as a representative for MPSO, the union president says it's something they will have to talk to Debraska about.

The union wanted to be very clear -- they pay Debraska for his notes from ERS meetings. They say other than those notes, Debraska is not representing the union.