FPC Asked To Halt Process To Hire New Milwaukee Police Chief

MILWAUKEE, WI— In a letter sent today to all members of the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners and to City Attorney Tearman Spencer, seven members of the Common Council have called for a temporary halt to the process underway to hire Milwaukee’s next Police Chief.

The below letter cites several factors, including the reported internal dysfunction affecting
the Fire and Police Commission and the departures last week of the FPC’s executive director, Griselda Aldrete, and her chief of staff.

“As is widely known, the executive director of the Commission recently resigned and her chief of staff chose to depart with her. Before that, Chief Morales retired but then filed a lawsuit against the City alleging that he was unfairly treated by your honorable body. For months we have heard public and private reports of dysfunction within the Commission from the level of senior staff on down. Many Common Council members have asked publicly whether there are enough staff members still on duty to perform even the most basic tasks of the Commission, much less to undertake the structural changes in both its own operation and those of the Milwaukee Fire and Police Departments that are so desperately needed," the letter reads.

We wonder who is preparing promotional lists? Who is monitoring the A.C.L.U. settlement? Who is ensuring that our hiring and promotional processes are as inclusive as this community needs and demands? And who is monitoring the complaints of citizens at a time where police-community relations appear to be at low ebb? The chief you select will be faced with immense challenges. He or she must have the strong support of the community. He or she should not be selected under a deep cloud of uncertainty like that presently hanging over the Commission. There is senior leadership within the Police Department sufficient to manage a brief pause in the process made in the interest of the public good.”

The FPC has announced plans to have its three finalist candidates discuss issues and answer
questions during two virtual community meetings, including one this Saturday, November 7.

November 5, 2020
The Honorable,
Members of the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners
City Hall
Mr. Tearman Spencer
City Attorney

Honorable Members and Attorney Spencer:
To the members of the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners, we write with some urgency to
ask that you call a temporary halt to the selection of a new police chief. As is widely known, the
executive director of the Commission recently resigned and her chief of staff chose to depart
with her. Before that, Chief Morales retired but then filed a lawsuit against the City alleging that
he was unfairly treated by your honorable body. For months we have heard public and private
reports of dysfunction within the Commission from the level of senior staff on down. Many
Common Council members have asked publicly whether there are enough staff members still on
duty to perform even the most basic tasks of the Commission, much less to undertake the
structural changes in both its own operation and those of the Milwaukee Fire and Police
Departments that are so desperately needed.

We wonder who is preparing promotional lists? Who is monitoring the A.C.L.U. settlement?
Who is ensuring that our hiring and promotional processes are as inclusive as this community
needs and demands? And who is monitoring the complaints of citizens at a time where police community relations appear to be at low ebb?

The chief you select will be faced with immense challenges. He or she must have the strong
support of the community. He or she should not be selected under a deep cloud of uncertainty
like that presently hanging over the Commission. There is senior leadership within the Police
Department sufficient to manage a brief pause in the process made in the interest of the public
good.

And, to City Attorney Spencer, we would ask for your assistance in clarifying the status of the
litigation in which the Commission is involved. What is the present status of the A.C.L.U.
settlement? Is the City in compliance with its requirements? What is the status of Chief
Morales' lawsuit? Has your office made any recommendations regarding its resolution? Should
the Commission choose to hire a new police chief, would that limit your office's ability to
resolve this matter?

It is to be understood that your briefing may need to take place in closed session.

The current disorder in the operations of the Fire and Police Commission has become a public
spectacle that needs to end as soon as is possible. Please know that we stand ready to help to
bring it to an end in any way that we can. No chief, however, should be hired under these
circumstances; to do so threatens to make a difficult situation worse.

Respectfully,

Chantia Lewis, Ashanti Hamilton, Robert J. Bauman, Nikiya Dodd, Milele A. Coggs Mark A. Borkowski, Russell W. Stamper, II