Too many failures: We have no confidence in Chief Morales
Joint statement of Alderwoman Chantia Lewis, Alderman Nik Kovac, Alderwoman Nikiya Dodd, Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, Alderman Ashanti Hamilton, Alderman Russell W. Stamper and Alderman Khalif J. Rainey July 20, 2020
The pattern of failed leadership by Police Chief Alfonso Morales is unmistakable and devastating, and we hope we will soon be moving on from his rocky tenure.
The Chief failed to discipline a police dispatcher after the dispatcher gave police officers the wrong address of a caller in 2018 who said he would murder a 15-year-old boy (the address did not exist and the boy’s body was found several days later).
The Chief failed to fire Officer Michael Mattioli for the off-duty chokehold death of Joel Acevedo, even though he had one month to do so before the Fire and Commission took over the disciplinary investigation. And he still has taken no disciplinary action against the officer who knelt on the neck of a face-down, prone protester near 6th and McKinley in the wake of the in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis (he called it “justified”), and that officer, who took one knee off the back of someone’s neck just long enough so that he could use the other knee to pummel that person’s stomach, is still on duty.
Chief Morales, through his actions and words, has disrespected the Black Lives Matter peaceful protest movement and the demands of immigrants and their advocates.
When his department leaked videotape from an active sexual assault investigation – evidence that revealed his detectives had violated an agreement with Sojourner Truth House meant to protect victims – and that public revelation compromised the investigation and exposed the victim to unwanted publicity, the Chief was silent about the misdeeds of his department and instead attempted to use the illegally revealed information in order to publicly smear the reputation of his civilian oversight body at the very moment it was considering whether or not to reappoint him to a new term.
At a time when Milwaukee has needed a thoughtful and strong community-focused leader in the Chief’s office, unfortunately we have seen someone who has only repeatedly backed up his officers while failing to lead.
We have no confidence in Chief Morales and it’s time for him to go.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the 2020 Racial Justice Protests
- Rep. Ryan Clancy Settles With City Following 2020 Curfew Arrest - Jeramey Jannene - Dec 12th, 2023
- Supervisor Clancy Applauds Settlement in Clancy vs. City of Milwaukee - Ryan Clancy - Dec 12th, 2023
- Tosa Protest Assails Federal Court Decision Exonerating Police - Isiah Holmes - May 9th, 2023
- Wauwatosa ‘Target List’ Trial Begins - Isiah Holmes - May 3rd, 2023
- Shorewood Spitter Found Guilty For 2020 Protest Confrontation - Jeramey Jannene - Apr 20th, 2023
- City Hall: City Will Pay 2020 George Floyd Protester $270,000 - Jeramey Jannene - Feb 14th, 2023
- Tosa Protest Tickets Dismissed - Isiah Holmes - Jul 21st, 2022
- Op Ed: ‘We Need More’ - Charles Q. Sullivan - Mar 4th, 2022
- Milwaukee Officers Circulate “2020 Riot” Coins? - Isiah Holmes - Nov 14th, 2021
- City Hall: Police Department Tweets Lied To Public - Jeramey Jannene - Oct 27th, 2021
Read more about 2020 Racial Justice Protests here
More about the Case of Officer Michael Mattioli
- Statement on verdict in Joel Acevedo homicide trial - Milwaukee Common Council - Nov 14th, 2023
- Judge Rules Acevedo Video Can Be Released - Corri Hess - May 5th, 2021
- Body Cameras Key To Charges Against Police - Corri Hess - May 4th, 2021
- Acevedo Family Pledges Push For Justice - Isiah Holmes - Dec 29th, 2020
- Officer Accused Of Reckless Homicide Resigns - Corri Hess - Sep 9th, 2020
- Mayor Tom Barrett released the following statement: - Mayor Tom Barrett - Sep 8th, 2020
- Joel Acevedo deserves justice - Ald. JoCasta Zamarripa - Sep 3rd, 2020
- Milwaukee Police Department Decides to Move Forward with the Internal Investigation of the Off-Duty Incident Involving Officer Michael Mattioli - Milwaukee Police Department - Sep 2nd, 2020
- Can Police Be Defunded? - Allison Dikanovic - Jul 26th, 2020
- Independent Business Association of Wisconsin Stands With Milwaukee Police Chief Morales - Independent Business Association of Wisconsin - Jul 20th, 2020
Read more about Case of Officer Michael Mattioli here
More about the Fire & Police Commission's Troubles
- City Hall: Johnson Names Former Deputy City Attorney To Fire & Police Commission - Jeramey Jannene - Nov 2nd, 2022
- City Hall: Washington, Burgos Join Fire-Police Board - Jeramey Jannene - Sep 20th, 2022
- City Hall: Kessler Resigns From Fire-Police Board - Jeramey Jannene - Sep 19th, 2022
- City Hall: Committee Backs Johnson’s FPC Nominees - Jeramey Jannene - Sep 9th, 2022
- City Hall: Mayor Acts To Create Full Fire & Police Commission - Jeramey Jannene - Jul 12th, 2022
- City Hall: Bree Spencer Named To Fire & Police Commission - Jeramey Jannene - Feb 9th, 2022
- FPC Suspends Residency Preference For Police, Fire Promotions - Jeramey Jannene - Dec 7th, 2021
- City Hall: Committee Endorses Dana World-Patterson’s Appointment To FPC - Jeramey Jannene - Dec 2nd, 2021
- City Hall: Dana World-Patterson Nominated to FPC - Jeramey Jannene - Nov 9th, 2021
- City Hall: Jeffrey Norman Named Permanent Chief of Police - Jeramey Jannene - Nov 4th, 2021
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