Latest news with #Act12
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Strong support for Milwaukee police chief's reappointment signaled from hiring body
As his contract comes up for renewal, Milwaukee's police chief received strong signals of support early in his rehiring process. Almost all of the city's Fire and Police Commission, the oversight body that handles hiring of the police chief, signaled they were in support of Police Chief Jeffrey Norman's rehiring. The commission is slated to make its final decision on Norman's reappointment June 26. "He's one of the best qualified chiefs I've ever known," said Miriam Horwitz, the commission's chair. With seven of the commission's nine members in attendance at the meeting, six said they were in support of rehiring Norman, who did not attend the commission meeting. Norman's current contract expires Nov. 15. Norman previously told the Journal Sentinel he would take an offer, if the commission extended it to him. "I believe our department has made great strides," Norman said at the time. "I desire to continue to build upon that." The commission's support follows Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson saying he was in support of rehiring the chief as well. At the June 5 meeting, activist Vaun Mayes and Levi Stein, president of the Friendship Circle of Wisconsin, said they were in support of Norman's rehiring as well. Mayes, who leads the organization Community Task Force, said a past police chief indicated he would talk with community groups, regardless of their support, and that did not happen. Norman has done that consistently, he said. With the Fire and Police Commission no longer having policymaking power for the city's police department due to a 2023 state law, Mayes said it was important to maintain Norman's place in Milwaukee's department. After that law, called Act 12, was passed, Norman elected to move a new bodycam footage release policy forward, despite opposition from the city's police union. "I am very afraid of the wrong person coming in with that kind of power and what they could and couldn't do," Mayes said. Norman, who is in his 29th year in law enforcement, has spent his entire policing career with the city's department. He was hired as acting chief of the department in 2020 and named police chief the following year, following the retirement of another acting chief and the controversial removal of former chief Alfonso Morales in 2020. The Milwaukee native was first hired in 1996 and served as a lieutenant in the homicide unit and captain of District 3, which includes parts of the central city and west side. Norman was hired as chief, in part, due to his track record of community engagement. Since being named chief, Norman has led the department through the crime spikes amid the COVID-19 pandemic, heavy local and state policy change after George Floyd's murder prompted national outrage and policing during the Republican National Convention. Rocky periods have occurred during his tenure. During the Republican National Convention, he and the department came under scrutiny after Columbus, Ohio, police officers shot and killed Sam Sharpe Jr. The officers, who did not face charges in the shooting, shot him about a mile from the convention's perimeter after the officers saw Sharpe appear to move toward another man while wielding knives. The officers were not accompanied by local police, which top department officials previously indicated any out-of-state officers would be in the lead-up to the convention. After the shooting, Norman later acknowledged local officers should have been with the Ohio police officers. The department also came under scrutiny for its handling of events in the lead-up to the homicide of Bobbie Lou Schoeffling. Schoeffling, a 31-year-old mother of two, had been reporting abuse and threats from her ex-boyfriend. Schoeffling was found shot to death on July 26, 2022. Her ex-boyfriend, Nicholas Howell, was convicted of killing Schoeffling last year and sentenced to life in prison. Norman initially declined an interview with the Journal Sentinel into the department's handling of the case but after the new organization published an investigation into her death, he ordered a review of every contact the department had with Schoeffling. The review led to the suspension of four officers. 'We have recognized our shortcomings and we, I believe, have a proven track record of … being open to feedback and working with the communities,' Norman said at the time he opened the review. In 2024, Norman was a finalist for the police chief position in Austin, Texas, but was ultimately passed on for the role. At that time, a department spokesperson said Norman remained "steadfast" in his commitment to Milwaukee. The chief previously declined to tell the Journal Sentinel in May whether he has applied for other jobs as his term approaches its end in Milwaukee. He said he was focused on reappointment locally. Norman's pay appears to have been negotiated in the months leading up to his reappointment discussions. The Fire and Police Commission's executive committee has met in closed session four times regarding senior law enforcement pay. While the city of Milwaukee's Common Council sets the pay range for the chief of police position, the Fire and Police Commission ultimately selects what the salary is in that range. Leon Todd, the commission's executive director, said he could not address what was discussed in those meetings. Norman made a gross salary of $177,112.44 in 2024, according to the city's online pay databases. The Fire and Police Commission will hold two public comment sessions for Norman's rehiring before the June 26 vote. David Clarey is a public safety reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at dclarey@ This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee commission has strong support for police chief's reappointment
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
MPS school resource officers; emails reveal timeline of frustration, confusion
The Brief FOX6 News obtained months of internal emails between the Milwaukee Police Department and Milwaukee Public Schools on school resource officers. It would take the force of a Milwaukee County judge in February 2025, to get the ball rolling, threatening a $1,000 daily fine. Police are now in Milwaukee schools – 14 months late. MILWAUKEE - Frustration, confusion and pressing for updates – FOX6 News obtained months of internal emails between Milwaukee Police Department top officials on the delays and drama connected to bringing school resource officers back to Milwaukee Public Schools. To find a full story, trust a paper trail to lead the way. What we know In January, we requested MPD internal emails regarding school resource officers from June 2024 to Jan. 21, 2025, and there is a clear story of questions and confusion. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Timeline On Aug. 5, 2024, MPD Chief of Staff Heather Hough informed leadership that Milwaukee city attorney Evan Goyke called her with an SRO update. What was said is redacted. Less than two hours later, Police Chief Jeffrey Norman responded: "Sigh, this stuff is not that hard but okay, thank you for the update!" Later that month, on Aug. 26, there was confusion about SRO training. Looking for clarification, Chief Norman writes "it is my understanding MPS is responsible for training, per Act 12? Is that correct?" Act 12 requires MPS to place at least 25 officers in school buildings. An attorney writes "it would make sense that each entity is responsible for their own employees that are not governed by Act 12." At the start of the school year, MPD received a crush of media requests and pressure from Milwaukee Common Council members on where things stand. On Sept. 13, the city said it was in the process of reaching an agreement for the placement of SROs in MPS schools. The document dump shows tons of correspondence on meetings, but little movement is made. Some of the highest priority emails are fully redacted, like on Oct. 11, which included an email chain titled "SRO Costs from October" with the city attorney and command staff. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android There's urgency on Jan. 9. Milwaukee Alderman Scott Spiker said to the mayor's office and police "we need to get a meeting with MPS set up ASAP on this issue." Big picture view It would take the force of a Milwaukee County judge in February 2025, to get the ball rolling faster, threatening a $1,000 daily fine. Police are now in Milwaukee schools – 14 months late. What we don't know This is only part of the story; FOX6 News requested similar information from MPS. MPS has not fulfilled our request for emails and information from their top staff. The Source The information in this post was produced by FOX6 News.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Yahoo
How is a 'school resource officer' in Milwaukee schools different from a regular police officer?
Following the pressure of a state law called Act 12, and a lawsuit forcing that law's implementation, Milwaukee Public Schools again — as of Monday — has a school police program. The Milwaukee Police Department officers who have been assigned to police 11 MPS schools are technically called "school resource officers," or SROs. Those officers are working inside a school district that formally ended its SRO program in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and national protests for racial justice. There are some key differences between SROs and regular police officers. Here's a breakdown. An SRO program essentially formalizes the relationship between the school district and city police department by assigning officers with specific youth-focused training, and specific job requirements, to police specific schools. But no matter the design of its SRO program, or existence of such a program at all, police are involved in MPS schools: Milwaukee police received an average of 3,700 MPS-related calls between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. across the past 11 school years, according to an analysis by the Journal Sentinel According to Act 12, SROs must undergo a 40-hour training course through the National Association of School Resource Officers. A total of 38 MPD staff attended that NASRO training in March, including 31 police officers and seven supervising officers. According to the NASRO, school police officers play three main roles: working as a law enforcement officer, an informal counselor and mentor, and a public safety educator. Enforcing the law in an environment where children are present "differs from doing so with adults and in the greater community," according to the training organization. The training teaches about topics like adolescent brain development and trauma-informed practices, "maintaining successful relationships with diverse students" and supporting students with disabilities. It also addresses safety issues that apply to teenagers and children: mental health, "digital culture," human trafficking, suicidal ideation and substance abuse. As of December, MPS reported that it had 230 school safety staff members who respond to safety issues in schools, such as fights. Unlike SROs, those safety staff don't carry guns or have the power to make arrests. Even combining the 25 state-required SROs and approximately 230 school safety staff, their numbers are small compared to the total population of the school district: about 65,600 students as of the current school year. Two public bodies in Milwaukee — the city's Common Council, and the school board overseeing MPS — have formally approved a public document, or "memorandum of understanding," that outlines the agreed-upon terms of the SRO program. That means the city, school board and district are expected to fulfill expectations outlined in that document. The primary goal of the SRO program is to "assist with crime prevention measures and provide a safelearning environment," according to the memorandum. Under the memorandum of understanding, SROs should not become involved in enforcing school discipline "unless such participation is necessary under the circumstances." MPS is expected to train its staff how to distinguish when a student's conduct requires a response from school administrators, safety officers or SROs. Memorandums of understanding for prior years of MPS' school police program did not specify officers' roles in enforcing school discipline. MPS used to station SROs in particular schools, but ended that practice ended in the 2013-14 school year after concerns that police were too often becoming involved in school discipline. A 2014-15 report to the school board said police had been "taking on different than intended roles in the schools they were assigned to." "It was noted that the way some of the cases were handled, officers ended up making arrests as the situations escalated; arrests in schools increased," a different report later found. In a court hearing last month, Milwaukee Circuit Court Judge David Borowski said SROs should be able to tell the difference between a kid who "mouths off" versus one who commits an assault. MPD Chief of Staff Heather Hough pushed back, saying in some cases, a teacher might handle that student who "mouths off" with school procedures — but in other cases, they might be fearful and call police. "There are black and white areas of this, but there are also some gray areas," she said. According to court filings, 11 schools have school resource officers. They are: Riverside University High School Lynde and Harry Bradley Technology and Trade School North Division High School Milwaukee High School of the Arts Hamilton High School Washington High School Vincent High School Madison High School Rufus King High School Barack Obama School of Career and Technical Education Milwaukee Marshall High School Cleo Krejci covers K-12 education and workforce development as a Report For America corps member based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact her at CKrejci@ or follow her on Twitter @_CleoKrejci. For more information about Report for America, visit This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Public Schools now have an SRO program. What does that mean?
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
With police in MPS schools, judge rescinds contempt order against city of Milwaukee
It's official: As of Monday, Milwaukee Public Schools again has a school resource officer program. Milwaukee Police Department officers have been assigned in pairs to police 11 schools across the city, according to court filings. "Candidly, this only happened because of the, frankly, immense pressure that I put on the city," said Milwaukee Circuit Court Judge David Borowski during a hearing Monday. MPS has been required to have a school resource officer program since Jan. 1, 2024, when the state law known as Act 12 went into effect. A lack of compliance with that law instigated a lawsuit by a district parent and the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty. 'The message from today is simple: frustrated parents, like Charlene (Abughrin), are fighting back and standing up for what's right," said a statement from WILL associate counsel Lauren Greuel after the Monday hearing. "SROs will provide much-needed safety resources to schools and ensure MPS moves closer to a safer, more productive learning environment.' Also Monday, Borowski purged his prior finding of contempt and the $1,000 in daily fines it carried against the city of Milwaukee. That's because the city met certain conditions to implement the SRO program, including passing a memorandum of understanding in the Common Council, training officers, selecting them and which schools they will work at. Clint Muche, assistant city attorney, told the judge at the hearing that the city had not intentionally disobeyed court orders to implement a school resource officer program. "It was not necessarily as easy as one might imagine," Muche said. The officers assigned to MPS schools completed the required training through the National Association of School Resource Officers on March 14, according to court filings. A total of 38 MPD staff attended that training, including 31 police officers and seven supervising officers. During the Monday hearing, Borowski said he was concerned MPS would place the officers, then "when I'm not looking, or when the case is closed, yank them back out." He agreed to dismiss the case — but only under the condition that if the SRO program were eliminated, the court case would reopen under his watch. "I would trust both lawyers to tell their clients, 'Don't you dare go back on this; don't violate the judge's order or the state law.' But I'm not sure I'm 100% confident in others," he said. As in prior hearings, Borowski showed his support for implementing the SRO program, an issue that is contested in the city. "There is still a narrative out there from some people that putting police in schools is this big, horrible, awful thing," Borowski said. "Well, as others have pointed out recently, the police are in the schools every single day." Across the past 11 school years, Milwaukee police received an average of 3,700 MPS-related calls between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., according to an analysis by the Journal Sentinel. The reasons for those calls are vast, with the most common reason being a vague "trouble" category. Activists against SROs have said they are concerned the call volume is being driven by an understaffed, under-resourced district that is overly reliant on police to manage student behavior. In the past, MPS stopped stationing police in specific schools — and began using "mobile" officer units — in response to concerns that police were becoming too involved in school discipline, and driving up the number of arrests. The newly approved memorandum of understanding for the SRO program attempts to clarify that issue, saying officers will only be involved in law enforcement and will leave school discipline to staff. On Monday afternoon, students poured out of Rufus King High School to hop on buses or get into their families' cars to head home for the night. Students and parents the Journal Sentinel spoke with said they were pleased with police officers being added to the school. Tavia Keyes, whose daughter freshman Jasmine Hurd attends Rufus King, grew up with officers in her high school, she said. Now, she thinks it a good thing the officers will be in place to respond to incidents her daughter said occur, such as weapons being sneaked inside. 'It gives a sense of security and safety,' Keyes said. Jessica Harris has two children, a senior and a junior, who attend the high school. Her daughter senior Jatoria Harris said having SROs in the schools is a 'good thing.' The mother, Jessica, was also in favor of the addition, citing the ability of school resource officers to respond faster to issues in the schools than other officers. She understood concerns of potential overpolicing of youth, but believed it was largely parents' responsibility to address that. Even if a student were wrongfully cited by police, she said, the court system would be a balancing factor. 'If you're raising your child right, you shouldn't be concerned,' she said. After the Monday court hearing, lawsuit plaintiff Charlene Abughrin told reporters the placement of SROs in schools will take stress off teachers, parents and staff. Abughrin said she felt "slighted" that her 12th-grade son's school did not receive SROs, but she still believes it's a "win," and a "step in the right direction" to put police in schools at all. She said she would revisit the case if officers were withdrawn. "I'm not entirely satisfied with the schools where they placed them at, because there are some schools with greater needs, that have greater violence," she said. "I think they probably should be redistributed." Abughrin specifically mentioned a need for police at the Wisconsin Conservatory for Lifelong Learning, where one of her children previously attended. WCLL is the school where students from Trowbridge Street School of Great Lakes Studies were temporarily relocated while their building was cleared of lead-based paint hazards. As a parent of six children who attended MPS, Abughrin said she's been through the process "a very long time" of filing complaints, attending school board meetings and attempting to improve safety issues in the district with no redress. Asked about criticisms of SROs, Abughrin said it's necessary to "walk in my shoes." "Most of (these schools) are a breeding ground for the prison system, because there's so much crime that is happening within the Milwaukee Public Schools system," she said. According to court filings, 11 schools have school resource officers. They are: Riverside University High School Lynde and Harry Bradley Technology and Trade School North Division High School Milwaukee High School of the Arts Hamilton High School Washington High School Vincent High School Madison High School Rufus King High School Barack Obama School of Career and Technical Education Milwaukee Marshall High School Cleo Krejci covers K-12 education and workforce development as a Report For America corps member based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact her at CKrejci@ or follow her on Twitter @_CleoKrejci. For more information about Report for America, visit David Clarey is a public safety reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at dclarey@ This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 'Immense pressure' put police back in MPS schools, judge says
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New MPS superintendent Brenda Cassellius envisions 'community-led, community-driven' district
As Brenda Cassellius starts her first week as superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools on Monday, her top priority is handling the lead crisis in district schools. "Making sure that parents know that our schools are safe to send them to and that our students feel comfortable coming to school. So getting underneath that is my No. 1 priority," Cassellius said during a media availability period at the K3 through eighth grade Bethune Academy Monday. Cassellius was at the school having lunch with students, touring the school and meeting students and staff on her first school day. Her contract with MPS began Saturday, March 15. Other top priorities: getting vacancies filled within the executive team and getting the district's academic programming in order, she said. Cassellius also confirmed that 25 school resource officers were in MPS schools Monday. The officers are required to be in MPS schools by the state, under Act 12. A district parent filed a lawsuit last fall against MPS and the city over their failure to have those officers in place more than nine months after the Jan. 1, 2024, deadline. Circuit Judge David Borowski ordered the city and MPS to get it done. "All 25 are on duty and doing well. I checked in with the mayor's office ,and there's been no incidents and there's nothing going on. It's been a great day so far," said Cassellius, though she could not confirm which schools the officers were at. In response to a question about parent concerns over SROs, Cassellius said she the officers would follow a community policing model, which is a good model for building relationships with students. "I know that they were undergoing training, so I think that's really good, important for them to understand youth healthy development and restorative justice practices and positive behavior practices. I think it's going to be good," Cassellius said. As for her lunch with students, Cassellius said she liked the waffles. "I had the chance to say hello to the cafeteria staff back there. (They're) very busy and just really just wanting the best for our kids," she said. Cassellius said since being named superintendent, she's been meeting with many community members. "That's been really enriching. There's a lot of goodwill out in the community, as well. (I'm) just really excited about partnering with our community and having all hands on deck here to be able to ensure that all of our students are getting what they need," Cassellius said. Cassellius said she visited North Division High School and was at the district's administration building Monday morning. She said she also planned to speak to the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association and principals later Monday. Cassellius also said her vision for MPS is to be community led and community driven. "It's going to be really important that the community feeds that vision, and I've been doing listening and discerning right now," she said. Cassellius also said improving academic achievement and life outcomes are also part of her vision, as well as providing equitable opportunities for each of the district's high schools and neighborhoods. Operationally, she said, her goal is for the district to deliver on the excellence it promises to the district's communities and that the district is a good steward of the public's trust. "I think that that is absolutely critical that we are using their resources that they have entrusted with us well for the benefit of the students and of the community," Cassellius said. Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or Follow him on Twitter at@AlecJohnson12. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: New MPS superintendent Brenda Cassellius visits schools on first day
