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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
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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
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Commission to discuss giving Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman a second term
Milwaukee's police chief is up for a second term — and he and the mayor want it to happen. Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman's reappointment is set to be discussed at a May 15 meeting of the Fire and Police Commission, the hiring body for the city's fire and police chiefs. That committee will vote on Norman's reappointment at a later date, a news release said. If a reappointment offer is extended, Norman told the Journal Sentinel he would accept it. "I believe our department has made great strides," Norman said. "I desire to continue to build upon that." Norman would focus on building community trust — long an emphasis of his — and working on the city's crime. He also said the department would continue to hold itself accountable under his possible reappointment. Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson supports Norman's reappointment, said Jeff Fleming, the mayor's spokesperson. The two have a "solid working relationship," he said. 'I am focused on reducing crime with both accountability and prevention measures. The police chief both supports — and adds to — those approaches," the mayor said in an email through his spokesperson. Norman's current four-year term ends in November. The May 15 meeting is being held far in advance of the chief's November term expiration to "ensure stability and continuity of leadership," the news release said, citing Fire and Police Commission Chair Miriam Horwitz's wishes. Norman 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. A Milwaukee native, he was hired in 1996 by the police department and steadily rose through the ranks, serving as a lieutenant in the homicide unit and later a captain of District 3, which includes parts of the central city and west side. 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 leading policing during the Republican National Convention. 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 declined to say whether he has applied for other jobs as his term approaches its end in Milwaukee. He said he was focused on reappointment locally. "I'm focused on this particular process now and honored to serve another term," Norman said. The May 15 meeting will also discuss ways to gather community input before a final vote, according to the news release. Norman was paid $177,112 in 2024, according to an online city salary database. 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 police chief Jeffrey Norman's reappointment to be discussed
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Here's the big takeaways from a monitoring program on the city's Fire and Police Commission
Milwaukee's oversight body for the city's police and fire departments is hampered by state law and its lack of engagement with the public, according to an oversight report from a city group. The Milwaukee Turners, a city civics organization, conducted a six-month monitoring program of the Fire and Police Commission. The result was a dashboard with results and accompanying report that peppered the body with recommendations — including urging its members to better prepare for meetings and speak more during them — to better do its duties. 'We looked at the Fire and Police Commission because we noticed not a lot of people were attending or didn't know what (it) did,' said Emily Sterk, the research and advocacy associate for the Milwaukee Turners. The Fire and Police Commission, or FPC, is one of the oldest police oversight boards in the country and handles things like recruitment for the two departments and employee discipline appeals hearings. The report was focused on the commission's nine-person civilian board, which holds two monthly meetings to hear updates on policy changes, personnel matters and other oversight matters. The commission also has a staff of 27, who are employees of the city, and handles things like audits on the departments. 'It's a good thing for different groups ... to take interest in what the Fire and Police Commission is doing,' said Leon Todd, the executive director of the Fire and Police Commission. The report comes as Krissie Fung, the Milwaukee Turners' associate director, was recently named to the Fire and Police Commission. Fung was removed from the monitoring program once the process to join the commission began, Sterk said. The Milwaukee Turners promotes itself as the city's oldest civic group, founded in 1853. The organization advocates for civic engagement, while offering 'nonpartisan cultural and educational programs.' The Turners are best known for their building Turner Hall, which hosts a popular music venue and gymnasium. The group, however, also is focused on advocacy through programs like its Zero Youth Corrections program and Confronting Mass Incarceration team. The latter team conducted the FPC monitoring program. The Turners worked alongside students at the Milwaukee School of Engineering to collect notes and data on the meetings to build out the report. The organization hopes to find more volunteers in the future to continue its work, she said. 'The intention of both our monitoring program, the white paper, the dashboard, is not an indictment of the FPC,' Sterk said. 'Rather it's a call to the community to come to these meetings and for the FPC commissioners to engage with the public to continue to build that public trust.' Here's what to know about the report's findings, while the organization's dashboard is available here: Among the recommendations in the report is that efforts should be made to amend Wisconsin Act 12. That is a 2023 funding law that offered Milwaukee additional funding from the state and a local tax, but it came with hefty changes to how the Fire and Police Commission operates. The law stripped the board of its policymaking power, which is now controlled by the city's police and fire chiefs. The changes led to the resignations of the then-chair and -vice chair of the commission in protest. The report pushed the city to advocate at the state legislature for reverting that change in state law. 'I think the biggest thing, and the one thing we really want to underscore … is the way in which Act 12 has affected the FPC's policymaking authority,' Sterk said. 'This is sort of our clarion call. We really want to see Act 12 amended as soon as possible.' While Todd disagreed with many of the report's conclusions, he was firm in agreeing with the organization's findings on Act 12's impact on the commission. Its previous decisions to change policies for police on no-knock warrants, chokeholds and a 15-day video release policy for police shootings led to the changes, he said. "Where the board diverged from what the Police Department and, more importantly, the police union wanted ... that's what led to the Act 12 changes," Todd said. The Turners found during the monitoring of 11 meetings that, of 122 items on FPC agendas, 120 received unanimous approval. The other two items passed as well. The Turners also suggested the commissioners on the board should prepare better and spend too much time on personnel matters, where discussions typically happen in sessions not open to the public. The group found the FPC spent 81% of time on personnel matters. Across the entire monitoring period, the group said commissioners spoke only to vote or make motions 58% of the time. 'Given the current practices of the FPC, including closed sessions and lack of Commissioner participation during regular sessions, the public is left unaware of why these aye or no votes were made,' the report reads. Todd said he "respectfully disagreed" with the assertion the board was not thorough in its deliberations or spent too long on personnel matters. The usage of closed sessions is necessary during personnel decisions, as it deals with personal employment information, he said. "I can't get into what is said or not said in closed session," Todd said. "I will say the commissioners are engaged and proactive in deliberating." Despite Act 12's stripping the FPC of its policymaking authority, the Turners said the board should offer recommendations for changes to the city's Common Council. In general, the commission should hold more substantial conversation on policy changes for the public's benefit, Sterk said. The report found that across 28 policy items, there were only six occurrences were a commissioner asked for further details or information. "The FPC still has a soft power," she said. "They are still able to do things ... and the clearest way to do that is to bring policy recommendations." Todd said the amount of "substantiative" policy decisions the board has faced since its policymaking power was removed is few. Most policy changes the commission discusses are administrative and, if the commissioners do disagree, they would first work with the departments on that, he said. "The substantiative ones the (police) has made, the board has agreed with," Todd said. "I think if there were a situation where MPD made a policy change the board disagreed with, they would make a recommendation." 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 FPC monitoring group finds room for improvement
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Yahoo
Milwaukee residents were surveyed on the city's police. Here's the main takeaways
Reckless driving is still a top concern among Milwaukee residents, and they're not happy with how the city has responded to the crisis, according to the latest study weighing public opinion of the Milwaukee Police Department. That's among the findings of the Milwaukee Police Satisfaction Survey, which asked over 1,000 residents to answer questions on their feelings about the department. Residents stubbornly remained mixed on police, with overall satisfaction largely remaining the same from prior versions of the survey. The survey inquired on other topics as well, like what demographic groups are most and least satisfied or how those with crime interactions feel. Milwaukee's Fire and Police Commission, the oversight body for the city's police and fire departments, discussed the survey at a February meeting. 'I think there are some encouraging findings,' said Bree Spencer, the vice-chair of the Fire and Police Commission at the meeting. The Milwaukee Police Department declined an interview on the survey. A department spokesperson said the police appreciated the feedback and its 'main priority is the public's safety and their concerns.' Here's what to know about this year's report: The survey found that 36% of residents were either 'not at all satisfied' or 'not very satisfied' with the city's police, meaning about two-thirds of the city were somewhat satisfied. That essentially mirrored the last time the survey was conducted and was worse than the prior 2019 survey. The survey polled groups across various demographics. Most satisfied were those 60 and older, baby boomers, while people between the ages of 30 to 44, millennials, were least satisfied. Satisfaction among Black and other nonwhite residents increased in this year's survey, however white residents declined for the third straight iteration of the report. The figures come as violent crime has slowed in Milwaukee in recent years but still outpaces pre-COVID-19 crime. Violent and property crimes – things like homicide, burglary and theft which are known as Part I crimes by FBI data standards – dipped 4% from 2023 last year. With that, a decline in homicides and nonfatal shootings were among the most significant, down 23% and 24%, respectively. That puzzled some at the hearing. 'We're looking at crime statistics … going down,' said Ruben Burgos, a commissioner on the oversight committee. 'And yet our satisfaction has stayed the same. Shouldn't that be changing, I would think?' The survey asked a series of questions based on police visibility as well, ranging from how visible police were to how visible police should be. A total of 50% of respondents said police were 'not very visible' or 'not at all visible.' With that, 91% of survey respondents said they would prefer police to be visible to some level. 'This has been a consistent finding over many waves of the survey. The data has never supported the assertion that some of these groups do not want the police in their neighborhood,' said Joseph Cera, the research director for Neighborhood Analytics, the organization which assisted in conducting the survey. This change is part of a continuing trend of past waves of the survey, the report said. Reckless driving continues to be a major concern of Milwaukee residents. Only 3% of residents said they didn't have concerns about the issue. Meanwhile, 88% of residents rated it at the highest level of concern and another 9% were 'somewhat concerned.' That dissatisfaction continued over how the city's police handle the issue as well, with 64% of residents displeased. That findings come after Milwaukee saw over 14,000 crashes in both 2023 and 2024 and 66 people killed by car crashes last year, according to Milwaukee Police Department traffic data. The city continues to attempt to combat the issue. Recent road construction projects intended to deter speeding and other reckless driving behaviors have had positive early impacts, city data has shown. Meanwhile, city policymakers and authorities announced in October plans to more stringently cite and prosecute reckless drivers. While police satisfaction increased with minority residents in Milwaukee, the survey found 'patterns of inequity.' 'Black and other nonwhite residents are more than three times more likely to report having been searched or patted down during their most recent police-initiated contact when compared to white residents,' the report said. Inequities have long been a concern for Milwaukee police. Most notably, the 2018 Collins Settlement was brokered following the department being sued for its stop-and-frisk practices. The lawsuit it came from accused the Milwaukee Police Department of routinely stopping thousands of minorities without cause or suspicion. The settlement required police to provide increased documentation for things like traffic stops, field interviews and other police interactions. One of the report's striking findings was an increase in non-reporting of crimes. Compared to the last time the survey was reported, 33% of respondents who were the victim of one crime did not report it to police. In 2022, the last time the survey was taken, that figure was 13%. Reasons for this included the belief police would not or could not help and it would be too much of a 'hassle' to report the crime. A total of 46% of respondents said they did not report the crime because they didn't expect to be treated fairly by police. Those responses were not considered 'statistically significant' increases over prior surveys, Cera said. 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: The biggest takeaways from Milwaukee's police satisfaction survey
