Mensah Will Get $125,000 from Wauwatosa
Police officer gets his full salary, plus other payouts, through end of 2021. Hasn't worked since July.
Officer Joseph Mensah‘s resignation from the Wauwatosa Police Department comes at a price of over $125,000. The officer will receive his full base salary, $79,889, through the end of 2021. He’ll also receive a $15,000 one-time settlement payment, over $10,000 in benefit payouts and almost $20,000 in deferred compensation.
The controversial cop killed three people over five years in the line of duty: Antonio Gonzales in 2015, Jay Anderson, Jr. in 2016 and Alvin Cole in February. In each incident, the District Attorney’s office investigated the shooting and ruled it justified self-defense. The most recent decision came in October, which set off days of protest in Wauwatosa.
An agreement approved by the Wauwatosa Common Council Tuesday and released Wednesday will have Mensah paid for the next 13 months. Mensah’s resignation becomes effective on November 30th.
On December 17th Mensah will receive a one-time $15,000 settlement payment. The city will also make a payment of $19,500 to Mensah’s 457(b) deferred compensation plan by November 30th.
The city will deduct the cost of its share of a COBRA health plan for Mensah from the payments made to the officer through the end of 2021. Mensah could elect to continue to pay for the plan on his own in 2022.
Mensah has been suspended with pay since July 2020, a decision which he is fighting in court. As part of the settlement he must drop the case. A crowdfunding campaign, with donations from multiple public safety unions, raised over $78,000 for a legal defense fund for the officer.
The Wauwatosa Police & Fire Commission must also agree to drop Mensah’s suspension as part of the case. The city must provide a neutral reference on any future employment inquiries for Mensah. Chief Barry Weber can provide his own recommendation without limitation.
Before District Attorney John Chisholm‘s decision came in, a third-party investigator recommended Mensah be terminated. The report, authored by former U.S. Attorney Steven Biskupic, says Mensah made inconsistent and misleading statements to the media and could use deadly force a fourth time. Mensah poses “unnecessary risk to the Wauwatosa Police Department and the City of Wauwatosa,” Biskupic warned.
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More about the Case of Officer Joseph Mensah
- Alvin Cole Family Files Civil Rights Lawsuit Against Wauwatosa - Isiah Holmes - Jul 29th, 2022
- Special Prosecutors Won’t File Charges in Jay Anderson Killing - Isiah Holmes - Jun 2nd, 2022
- Did Tosa Police Withhold Phone Data? - Isiah Holmes - Mar 20th, 2022
- Three Tosa Police Given Immunity in Jay Anderson Probe - Isiah Holmes - Feb 1st, 2022
- Special Prosecutors Appointed in Case Against Joseph Mensah - Corrinne Hess - Dec 8th, 2021
- Supervisor Clancy Applauds Probable Cause Decision in Death of Jay Anderson, Jr. - Ryan Clancy - Jul 29th, 2021
- Rep. Bowen Statement on John Doe Charging Decision Against Joseph Mensah - State Rep. David Bowen - Jul 28th, 2021
- Closing Arguments Delivered On Jay Anderson’s Killing - Isiah Holmes - May 20th, 2021
- Tosa Police Had Many ‘High Value Targets’ - Isiah Holmes - May 12th, 2021
- Tosa Police Chief Testifies About Mensah - Corrinne Hess - May 4th, 2021
Read more about Case of Officer Joseph Mensah here