Jeffrey Norman A Finalist For Austin Police Chief

Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman is seeking to go to Texas.

Norman is among the 32 finalists to become the next Austin police chief, according to a list published Tuesday by the Austin American-Statesman.

He has been with the Milwaukee Police Department since 1996 and served as its chief since late 2020. The chief was given a four-year contract in late 2021.

Norman is the only big city police chief on the published list. Other candidates include high-ranking officials with the Chicago, San Antonio, Cincinnati, Philadelphia and New York City police departments. Two of the candidates are former chiefs of big city departments.

The Austin Police Department is slightly larger than Milwaukee, though the city is much larger and demographically much different. Austin, with its 974,000 residents, has approximately 1,800 officers. Milwaukee, with 577,000 residents and 200 fewer squares miles to cover, has approximately 1,640 sworn officers.

Austin’s police chief, Joseph Chacon, retired last year. The interim police chief, Robin Henderson, announced last week that she would not seek the permanent post.

Norman will find himself in the spotlight in the coming weeks as MPD works with the U.S. Secret Service and thousands of outside law enforcement officers to secure the Republican National Convention. Former President Donald Trump, the centerpiece of the political convention, allegedly called Milwaukee a “horrible city” with some Republicans saying it was because of crime.

And while Norman inherited a department that saw a record number of homicides for two years in a row, he’s now presided over a substantial drop. After peaking at 215 homicides in 2022, the total, according to MPD data, dropped 20% in 2023 and, year-to-date, is down 40% from the 2022 high. Year-to-date non-fatal shootings are also down 31% versus 2022 and 28% versus 2023. The figures largely follow a national trend that saw a surge in gun violence amid the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Norman became chief after the botched 2020 demotion of Alfonso Morales and multiple deadlocked votes from the Fire & Police Commission to hire his replacement.

In 2020, Norman was the last remaining local finalist in the search for a new Milwaukee chief, but was eliminated when the field was narrowed from six to three. He became acting chief in December 2020 after Morales’ temporary replacement, Michael Brunson, retired. Brunson did not pursue the permanent post. Despite the uncertainty surrounding city’s legal fight with Morales, Norman parlayed the acting chief post into an on-the-job audition.

During his time as acting chief, Norman drew praise for his collaborative style.

Norman holds a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from UW-Milwaukee, a master of public administration degree from Kaplan University, and a juris doctor degree from Marquette University. He ran unsuccessfully for an open Milwaukee County Circuit Court judgeship in 2008, losing to now-Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Rebecca F. Dallet.

“Chief Norman’s applicant status has no bearing on the Chief’s commitment to the City of Milwaukee, and the safety and well-being of all residents,” said MPD in a statement.

The chief, according to city documents, received a more than 20% pay increase, from $152,000 to approximately $183,000, in April as part of the executive compensation increase approved by the Common Council and Mayor Cavalier Johnson. The former Austin chief was paid approximately $250,000.

The Milwaukee chief of police is hired and fired by the Fire & Police Commission, not the mayor. As a result of Act 12, the commission no longer is able to set department policy.

News of Norman’s candidacy for the Austin job was first reported locally by Alison Dirr.