Milwaukee’s top cop has been demoted.
Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales is now Captain Morales.
The Fire and Police Commission could have taken a number of actions against Morales as they voted on his discipline Thursday night including firing him.
Instead, they chose a demotion.
DEVELOPING NOW:THE CITY OFMILWAUKEE-- HAS A NEW áACTINGPOLICE CHIEF THIS MORNING.ASSISTANT CHIEF MICHAELBRUNSON-- NOW LEADS THEDEPARTMENT... AFTER THE FIREAND POLICE COMMISSION VOTED TOáDEMOTE CHIEF ALFONSO MORALES.IT'S A DECISION THAT HASCOMMUNITY LEADERS SPLIT...ANDIT COULD GET THE CITY-- SUED.ADRIANA MENDEZ JOINS US LIVEFROM MPD HEADQUARTERS TOEXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.THIS MORNING... IT'S NOWáCAPTAIN ALFONSO MORALES...APOSITION HE HELD BEFOREGETTING PROMOTED TO CHIEF.BEFORE THE MEETING-- HISATTORNEY áDID TELL US THEYWOULDN'T RULE OUT SUING THECITY IF HE WERE REMOVED FROMHIS POSITION.HE FIRE & POLICE COMMISSIONCOULD HAVE TABLED THE VOTE--GIVEN MORALES MORE TIME TORESPOND TO A LIST OFDIRECTIVES--OR EVEN FIRED THECHIEF.
BUT IN A UNANIMOUSVOTE--CHOSE TO DEMOTE INSTEAD.THE FORMER CHIEF LISTENED INAND LEARNED HIS FATEVIRTUALLY-AND NEVER MADE ACOMMENT.ASSISTANT CHIEFMICHAEL BRUNSON-- IS NOWACTING CHIEF... AND RELEASED ASTATEMENT LATE LAST NIGHTSAYING QUOTE:"I want to thank AlfonsoMorales for his nearly 27years of service anddedication to the City ofMilwaukee.
I look forward tocontinuing to serve theresidents of this city andhave great respect for all ofthe men and women of theMilwaukee Police Department.
"NOW WE DID ATTEMPT TO TALK TOMEMBERS OF THE FPC LAST NIGHTAFTER THE MEETING ON WHAT WASTHE CATALYST FOR THISDECISIONBUT EVERY MEMBER OFTHE FPC DECLINED TO COMMENT.REPORTING LIVE IN DOWNTOWNADRIANA MENDEZ TM4 NEWS.ADRIANA, THANK YOU.
MAYORBARRETT WANTED TO SEE F-P-CCHAIRMAN STEVEN DEVOUGAS STEPASIDE -- WHILE MORALES GOTMORE TIME TO WORK ON THEDEPARTMENT'S ISSUES.
BARRETTWAS FURIOUS WITH HOW THEDECISION WAS MADE TO DEMOTETHE CHIEF AND FRUSTRATED WITHHIS OWN FIRE AND POLICECOMMISSION.20:38:09 The discussionsurrounding this decisiontonight was completely lackingin transparency.
The actiontaken by the commissiontonight was not good governmentMAYOR BARRETT HAD CALLED ONTHE COMMISSION TO SLOW DOWNTHE PROCESS AND ASKED FOR ANORDERLY REVIEW OF THE CHIEF'SRESPONSE TO THE DIRECTIVES.
HESAYS THE CHIEF DESERVED ACHANCE TO BE HEARD.
THE MAYORALSO SAID WHAT THE CITY NEEDSNOW IS A POLICE DEPARTMENT ANDA FIRE AND POLICE COMMISISON -WHICH HE APPOINTS AND THECOUNCIL APPROVES - THATCITIZENS CAN RESPECT.ALFONSO MORALES' CAREER WITHTHE MILWAUKEE POLICEDEPARTMENT DATES BACK TO 1993.WHEN HE JOINED THE FORCE AS ANOFFICER;IN 19-99, HE WASPROMOTED TO DETECTIVE ANDWORKED IN THE CRIMINALINVESTIGATION BUREAU;STARTINGIN 2003, HE SERVED ASLIEUTENANT IN THE C-I-B;SEVENYEARS LATER, HE TRANSITIONEDTO THE PATROL BUREAU;IN 2013,MORALES WAS PROMOTED AGAIN TOTHE ROLE OF COMMANDING OFFICEROF DISTRICT TWO;IN FEBRUARY OF2018, HE WAS NAMED INTERIMCHIEF... FILLING OUT THE TERMOF THE DEPARTED ED FLYNN; HEWAS NAMED CHIEF IN APRIL OF2018... AND WAS REAPPOINTED TOA FOUR-YEAR TERM IN DECEMBEROF LAST YEAR; WITH A REVIEWEVERY SIX MONTHS
Michael Brunson was sworn in Friday morning and now serves as the Milwaukee Police Chief. Right off the bat, Brunson got to work.
