Group Of Black Firefighters Defends Residency Requirement

A group of African-American firefighters is speaking out against Governor Scott Walker’s plan to end residency requirements for local government employees.

Everett Cocroft, who heads the Milwaukee Brotherhood of Firefighters, says he respectfully disagrees with Mahlon Mitchell of the Professional Fire Fighters Association of Wisconsin, who backs ending residency laws.

“He has to support his membership, and I have to support mine. Our membership totally, fully wants to keep this membership requirement, because we feel it’s vital to the community.”

Cocroft, some Milwaukee Common Council members and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett are asking the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee to drop the residency issue from state budget deliberations. But other Milwaukee firefighters told the panel last week that they should be able to live where they want.