3-17-14 officer involved deaths bill

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state Senate could take up early next month a bill that would require Wisconsin police departments to enlist outside investigators to probe officer-involved deaths.  The proposal was introduced in response to a series of high-profile officer-involved deaths in recent years across the state.  The Assembly passed the bill without dissent in February. It could be up for a final vote April 1st. Assuming it passes, it would go to Governor Scott Walker for his consideration. Republican sponsors say they hope the investigation procedure would address concerns about fellow   officers from the same department not being fair in their investigation.  Currently, smaller departments often rely on outside agencies to investigate officer-involved deaths. But the state's two biggest police departments, in Madison and Milwaukee, investigate their own officers.