Mensah Now a Waukesha Sheriff’s Deputy

It didn’t take long for former Wauwatosa police officer Joseph Mensah to find a new job. He’s joined the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy.

The controversial law enforcement officer 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 Milwaukee County 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.

But Mensah resigned from the Wauwatosa force on November 30th, part of a settlement agreement that will pay him over $125,000 through the end of 2021. He sued the city after being suspended with pay in July 2020 and then dropped the suit as part of the settlement. A crowdfunding campaign, with donations from multiple public safety unions, raised over $78,000 for a legal defense fund for the officer.

Wauwatosa isn’t able to say anything negative about Mensah as part of the settlement. It is required to provide a neutral reference on any future employment inquiries for Mensah. Wauwatosa Chief Barry Weber can provide his own recommendation without limitation.

Mensah’s cash payments from Wauwatosa are poised to grow as part of the new job. Under the settlement Wauwatosa must take the money it would have paid for its portion of a COBRA health plan for Mensah in 2021 and give it as cash to Mensah, who can now get insurance through his new employer.

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.

Waukesha County Sheriff Eric Severson told WISN that Mensah was sworn in on Monday.