Part two of two: Complaint letter to Milwaukee Northwest Service Center, Wisconsin DMV

April 12, 2009
Gerald Williams, Supervisor
Department of Motor Vehicles
7301 W. Mill Road
Milwaukee, WI 53222

Dear Mr. Williams:

On Wednesday, January 8th, 2009, I had a terrible experience at your DMV office. You asked me to document the problems I had, because you did not know the procedure for handling customer complaints of rude and inappropriate behavior by DMV employees.

I tried to get my New Jersey driver’s license changed to a Wisconsin one in December, soon after I moved back to Milwaukee. “Pippa”, an African-American woman who identified herself as a “manager”, examined my birth certificate, marriage certificate, NJ driver’s license, Social Security card, Forward Wisconsin ID, and USPS mail from Social Security and Milwaukee Department of Social Services. She declared my proof of identification unacceptable because my birth certificate + marriage certificate shows my legal name is “Patricia Ann Alpert, my NJ Driver’s license says “Patricia A Alpert”. The Milwaukee Department of Social Services and Forward Wisconsin ID identify me as “Annie Alpert” (with the same social security number), and the Social Security Administration identifies both names with the same SSN (which could have been easily verified).

Her demeanor was combative and disrespectful, with conflicting reasons for why each document was unacceptable.

“Pippa” told me that I needed to go to the County Clerk’s office and have my birth certificate reissued as “Annie Alpert” in order to obtain a Wisconsin driver’s license.

I came back on the 7th. This time my identification was acceptable, but my proof of residency was not, because my Milwaukee bank online statement hadn’t been mailed by the bank, although I presented account information which had been mailed from the bank

I went to my bank, asked for a current statement, and returned the same day. Again, I was told this was not acceptable proof of residency. When I asked to speak to a supervisor, “Pippa” came over. She told my clerk, “Oh, she’s back again. She thinks she can get a driver’s license when she has all these different names.” She made repeated snide comments to her co-workers.

Rather than argue with her, I asked to speak to “Pippa’s” supervisor. I was told that “Gerry” was here, but he “didn’t know anything”, so she would call “Debbie”.

“Debbie” was out, but “Brook” in Madison, was in, and would look at my documents by fax. Copies were made of my birth certificate, driver’s license, social security card and other identifying papers. That really concerned me, because anyone with that information could easily steal my identity.

I told “Pippa” that I don’t know who “Brook” or “Debbie” are, and wasn’t comfortable with “Pippa’s” guarantee that “Brook” was the appropriate person. “Pippa” laughed and told her co-workers that, “She doesn’t believe I’m talking to “Brook.” Look, I’ll put you on speakerphone.” She then picked up the phone and started to walk away with it, saying “I have a young lady here who . . . “. I interrupted her.

“Excuse me,” I told her, “but I am not a “young” lady, as you can plainly see, Please don’t talk about me in that manner. It’s disrespectful”. “Pippa” laughed at me and mugged to her co-workers, saying, “Yeah, that’s the way I am. Anyway, Brook, I have a young lady here who is trying to get a driver’s license . . .”

I felt that “Pippa” had personal reasons for singling me out for special treatment. I also felt that the rules for documentation are needlessly narrow, and poorly defined — leaving room for arbitrary decisions by DMV employees causing hardship to disabled or disadvantaged customers.

I am writing this because you supervise an employee who abused her position of power to attempt to ridicule me. She purposefully and arbitrarily tried to hinder me from completing the process. She demonstrated personal prejudices against DMV customers, and seems to get away with it.

I spoke to you that day, and asked what the DMV’s policy is on discrimination. You did not know. I asked what is the process is for filing a formal complaint against employees who are rude. You did not know. I asked for “Pippa’s” name to file a complaint, and she told you, “No! I don’t want her to know my name”. You did not offer me that information when asked.

Your lack of control over the situation did not make me feel safe or welcome in the DMV office. The fact that the DMV does not appear to have an official policy on discrimination is distressing. The lack of direction, towards professional, appropriate behavior is disturbing. I grew up in Milwaukee, and appreciate the courtesy people usually show towards each other here. I did not see that in my visit to the Milwaukee DMV. Please let me know what I can do to help ensure that this appalling behavior does not continue.

Best wishes
Annie Alpert

CC:
Debbie Kramer DOT Madison
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Services
Emailed to Customer Service, www.dot.wisconsin.gov