Milwaukee Police - The Morales Story - Part I

August 9, 2020

CITY OF MILWAUKEE || Over the last 2 or more years, Alfonso Morales, Chief of Police, has had issues of reoccurring concerns regarding the behavior of Milwaukee Police Department.  

They include the handling of multiple incidents by Morales that includes:

• the behavior of police regarding Bucks player Sterling Brown in 2018
• disrespect in the African American and Latino neighborhoods
• failure to discipline rogue behavior of police
• dispersing tear gas and pepper spray on protesters
• failure to fire Michael Mattioli (accused of killing Joel Acevedo)
• Morales failure to follow directives of Fire and Police Commission
• 5th District militarized with national guard (deployed by Tony Evers). 

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What is the Fire and Police Commission?

Under Wisconsin law and the Milwaukee City Charter, the Fire and Police Commission oversees all aspects of Fire Department and Police Department operations. The Commission sets overall policy while the chief of each department manages daily operations and implements the Commission’s policy direction and goals.  Specific Commission functions also include:

• establishing recruitment and testing standards for positions in the Fire and Police Departments,
• hearing appeals by members of either department who have been disciplined by their Chief,
• independently investigating and monitoring citizen complaints, and
• disciplining employees for misconduct.

The seven (7) part-time civilian Commissioners and full-time Executive Director are appointed by the Mayor and must be approved by the Common Council. The Commissioners serve as the citizens’ voice in police and fire matters and as a means of ensuring a more responsive and effective city government. Diversity of background and experience makes the Commissioners’ concerns reflective of the community-at-large, and their priorities include initiatives to reduce crime, increase public safety, and maintain effective responses to fire and medical emergencies.  

Commissioners serve overlapping five-year terms, with one appointed each year, and receive a nominal salary of $6,600.00 per year. A thirteen-person staff, headed by the Executive Director, is responsible for carrying out Commission functions.  Staff members are employees of the City of Milwaukee.

Updated:  August 10, 2020