Suit By Morales Demands His Job Back
His attorney Frank Gimbel has made no progress with city negotiating financial settlement.
Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales. File photo from the Milwaukee Police Department.
Former Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales is asking a judge to force the city to immediately return him to his job.
Morales was removed from his post at the head of the Police Department in August and demoted to the rank of captain by the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission following months of turmoil amid racial justice protests and years of community distrust of officers. He later resigned.
Foley reversed the Fire and Police Commission’s decision to demote Morales. But the judge did not give further instructions, and it remains unclear if or how Morales could actually retake leadership of the Police Department.
Since December, Gimbel said he has had meetings with city officials to discuss a date Morales could return to work or a monetary settlement for the former chief, but there has been no action taken on behalf of the city.
“The discord, distrust and uneasy stand-off that currently exists at City Hall between the City of Milwaukee, its (Fire and Police Commission) and the City Attorney’s office whether to honor Judge Foley’s Dec. 18, 2020, order is no excuse or good reason for continued delay and Respondents’ inaction and disobedience of the Court’s order,” Gimbel wrote.
In mid-April, the Milwaukee Common Council hired an outside legal firm, Cade Law Group, to handle the Morales case.
Attorney Nate Cade said Wednesday he wasn’t authorized to speak to media about the case. The city declined to comment on ongoing legal issues.
Listen to the WPR report here.
Ousted Milwaukee Police Chief Morales Files Lawsuit Demanding Job Back was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Milwaukee’s inability to work together has consequences for all of us. Here’s an example: Yesterday, when Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes was asked about the possibility of the legislature giving Milwaukee County power over its own sales tax, he replied:
“Personally, this is an issue I tried to take on as a member of the Legislature but as long as that anti-Milwaukee sentiment exists especially with the leadership of the majority party in the Legislature, you know it’s going to be tough,”
We are doing a good job of creating that anti-Milwaukee sentiment with the management of our police department, our health department and our schools. I really can’t blame anyone for wondering if our city is worth an investment.
Wake up, Milwaukee. We are earning our poverty!