Morales appointment as chief affirmed despite objections from two aldermen

Clara Hatcher
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Alfonso Morales will remain Milwaukee police chief despite objections from two alderman about how he was appointed, the Fire and Police Commission decided Thursday.

Aldermen Terry Witkowski and Robert Bauman, citing the city attorney, claimed the commission violated open meeting laws when the board appointed Morales police chief.

MaryNell Regan, Fire and Police Commission executive director, swears in Alfonso Morales as Milwaukee's interim police chief.

The aldermen said the commission did not give proper notice on its agenda for the meeting that ended with the vote to have Morales serve as chief through the end of former Chief Edward's Flynn's unfinished term in 2020.

According to Witkowski, the commission was "burying the confirmation." 

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Witkowski said about the appointment, "It seems like they just want to punch it through with one day's notice, and the public and public input be damned." 

The aldermen claimed the board was set for a "re-do" at Thursday's meeting. The commission's chairman, Steven DeVougas, however, said no new vote would be taken, as was the case when the agenda item regarding the objection was held.

At the meeting, DeVougas clarified that there have been consistent measures of notification taken to ensure public knowledge and that the item was on the April 5 meeting agenda. 

"He is currently the chief of police and that is not in question," DeVougas said at the Thursday meeting.

After the meeting, DeVougas said, "I think, really, it's semantics. It's really just petty politics. We have way bigger issues in the city in regard to police-community relations."

Morales was named to the interim post in February. After the board made its decision at the meeting on April 5, Morales was sworn in as police chief on April 6. 

DeVougas said the board acted in accordance with state law when it appointed Morales.