Council President Hines questions MPD’s ability to monitor behavior of officers in light of allegations against officer

Alderman Joe Davis

Compiled by MCJ Staff

Alderman Joe Davis, Sr. asked the chair of the city’s Fire and Police Commission Tuesday to place a moratorium on promotions within the Milwaukee Police Department until a new police chief is sworn in.

He also called on Mayor Tom Barrett to throw his support behind the proposed moratorium on all MPD promotions until a new chief is sworn in.

In a letter to Fire and Police Chair Leonard Sobczak, Davis said the new chief would be in a better position to judge and evaluate personnel based on past experience and merit.

Current Chief Nannette Hegerty will retire at the end of her term, which expires in November.

"I will not support recommendations of promotions from the current chief due to the fact that she will not be in a position to monitor the candidate’s growth within the department," Davis said in the letter.

In a letter to the mayor, Davis also expressed concern about past and current cases of alleged misconduct within the department, specifically the aggression and "abuse of power" displayed by officers involved in the beating of Frank Jude, Jr. The alderman also referenced the current brutality allegations against Sgt. Jason Mucha.

According to a recent media report, at least 10 defendants in unrelated cases accuse Mucha with allegedly beating them, planting drugs or both. Four of the 10 cases were either reduced or dismissed amid questions about Mucha’s actions.

"As we learn through the news media and not through the department’s professional performance division or the Fire and Police Commission of unprofessional conduct within the Milwaukee Police Department, holding all promotional opportunities would give a new commander the current data and judgment to evaluate personnel on past experience and merit," Davis said in his letter to Barrett.

Alderman and Common Council President Willie L. Hines, Jr., also expressed concern regarding the allegations against Mucha. Hines has called on the Fire and Police Commission to initiate an investigation into the allegations against Mucha.

"We cannot begin to address crime in our neighborhoods if citizens do not have complete confidence in the character of our officers," Hines said in the statement.

Hines also called on the MPD to identify sooner rather than later complaints by citizens about officers, adding the council had already passed a resolution that would enable the police department to log and monitor such complaints. The council president said despite the new revelations regarding Mucha, he doesn’t believe the officers alleged behavior is indicative of the Milwaukee Police Department at large.