Wauwatosa PFC To Hold Special Meeting On Thursday

WAUWATOSA,WI — The Wauwatosa Police and Fire Commission will meet for a special meeting on Thursday at 4:15 p.m. The scheduled meeting comes after the announcement the Wauwatosa Common Council entered into a separation agreement late Tuesday, between Joseph Mensah, the Wauwatosa Peace Officer's Association, and the City of Wauwatosa. As part of this agreement, Mensah is resigning effective November 30.

The city asked the PFC to meet as soon as practical to dismiss the charges pending against Mensah as he will no longer be an employee of the City of Wauwatosa.

The PFC was scheduled to hear evidence against Mensah on Dec. 16. In August, the commission voted unanimously to move forward with pre-hearing scheduling deadlines on the pending charges filed against Mensah.

The attorney representing two of the families of the shooting victims, Kimberly Motley, filed the complaint with city officials in June. Motley represents the Cole family as well as the family of Jay Anderson Jr., who was fatally shot by police in 2016.

The complaint called for Mensah's dismissal from the department, a recommendation for criminal charges against the officer, a recommendation that Wauwatosa police officers be outfitted with body cameras, and several open records requests on incidents involving the police department in prior years.

Anderson Jr. was fatally shot at Madison Park in June 2016 after an officer, later identified by officials as Mensah, responded to a report of suspicious vehicle parked outside Madison Park around 3 a.m. Reports indicated the officer encountered Anderson in possession of a gun inside the vehicle. Authorities said the officer feared for his safety and fired his gun into the car, killing Anderson. Chisholm cleared Mensah of the shooting in December 2016, saying the officer would not face any charges.

In another fatal shooting, Antonio Gonzalez was shot and killed in July 2015 by Mensah and fellow officer Jeffrey Newman after authorities said Gonzalez swung a sword and refused to drop it. Authorities determined the officers shot at Gonzalez in self-defense. Mensah and the fellow officer were cleared by prosecutors later that year.

Mayor McBride said, "Now is the time for all of us to come together and heal. We've made substantial progress during 2020, and in the coming year we'll continue to focus on positive change for our community. As before, I'm committed to working with the Common Council, the city's Equity and Inclusion Commission, and members of the public to make that happen."

Kimberley Motley, the attorney representing the families of Cole, Jay Anderson, Jr. and Antonio Gonzales, has repeatedly called for Mensah to be fired. She released the following statement:

"Joseph Mensah's resignation is long overdue. While we welcome the news; it is tragic that the Wauwatosa Police Department under Chief Weber's leadership failed to address his shortcomings for years. It is time for new leadership in the Wauwatosa Police Department. The families of Alvin Cole, Jay Anderson, Jr. & Antonio Gonzales will continue to fight for justice. We call on the City of Wauwatosa to IMMEDIATELY fully disclose the terms of its agreement with Joseph Mensah to the public."

Mensah, who was involved in the shooting deaths of three people of color in the last five years, was suspended with pay in July, but according to online court records dated Sept. 9, he is appealing the decision.