Alderwoman Chantia Lewis has introduced communication files that seek to clarify and encourage more public involvement in the search for a permanent chief of the Milwaukee Police Department. The files (Council files #200872 and 200874), will be heard by the Public Safety and Health Committee TOMORROW – Thursday, October 22nd at 9 a.m.
Cosponsors of the files are Alderman Ashanti Hamilton, Alderwoman Nikiya Dodd, Alderman Khalif J. Rainey, Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II and Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs.
Alderwoman Lewis said the committee will discuss the chief search process with the executive director and the chair of the Fire and Police Commission.
“As the events of the last several months have shown, policing and police leadership are under review from several standpoints, especially in terms of accountability and transparency,” said Alderwoman Lewis, vice chair of the Public Safety and Health Committee.
“And quite frankly, there is an urgent need to make the chief selection process more public, as without notice the FPC announced ‘finalists’ and there was an unusual circumstance where it looked like a new finalist was possibly going to be added after the deadline – a person who did not formally apply for the position,” she said.
“It would be helpful for the FPC to clarify the full adopted selection process and to outline for us what the timeline looks like,” she said.
File #200874 seeks to explore the opportunity for the public to engage the chief candidates and get answers to key questions. “The public needs to hear the finalists talk about how they will run the department, and they also deserve the chance to ask questions about how their approach or style is best for Milwaukee and the department. This is about transparency,” Alderwoman Lewis said.
