City Wants Third Party To Review Wauwatosa Police Complaint

WAUWATOSA, WI — City officials in Wauwatosa are recommending that an outside party review a formal complaint filed against a Wauwatosa police officer accused of shooting and killing two Black men while in the line of duty.

Attorney Kimberley Motley is representing the families of Jay Anderson and Alvin Cole. Anderson and Cole were both fatally shot by officer Joseph Mensah of Wauwatosa police.

Now Motley is calling for Mensah's firing and a requirement that all Wauwatosa police officers be issued body-worn cameras while on duty in a complaint that's being brought before the Police and Fire Commission.

Commissioners say they want to consider hiring a third-party investigator to look into the complaint — a move that concerns Motley. In an interview with Patch, Motley said she's concerned that a third-party investigation could keep aspects of the investigation away from the public eye.

"This is the job of the Wauwatosa police and fire commission. If they are going to hire a third party, I want to know the details as to who these people are, because we are entitled to a fair and unbiased investigation," she said. "If they're going that way, we should be entitled to have a say as to who that investigator should be."

The first meeting of the Police and Fire Commission will be in open session on July 15 at 4 p.m., officials in Wauwatosa said. During this meeting, commissioners would consider hiring a third party investigator, and define the scope of the investigation.

If hired, the third-party investigator would conduct the investigation into the complaint and present their findings during another meeting of the Police and Fire Commission.

The investigation and hearing would likely happen over a series of Police and Fire Commission meetings, city officials said.

Here is a copy of the complaint filed by Motley with Wauwatosa officials.