'We all get wake-up calls': Milwaukee Fire Department will discipline members, begin bias training after hanging brown figurine found

Milwaukee firefighters will be disciplined and the Fire Department is moving forward with anti-harassment training following an investigation into a brown figurine hanging in Fire Station 2 in February. 

As determined by the department’s investigation, a white male firefighter found the brown figurine shaped like a fetus on the street and brought it into the station out of “curiosity.” 

Using a pink ribbon, he then hung the figurine by its neck on a whiteboard in the station’s kitchen, and it was left there for several days until the station’s only Black female firefighter reported it to administration. 

Fire Chief Mark Rohlfing said Thursday that he believes the firefighter did not act with racist or sexist intent, or target an individual member or group.

He added: “Stupidity is not a defense.” 

“We strongly believe that hanging the figurine was inappropriate and wrong,” Rohlfing said. “We need to do a better job.” 

MFD has read the disciplinary charges to the firefighter responsible but is not making  those charges public until the investigation is closed.  

Eleven additional members with ranks ranging from deputy chief to lieutenant will receive letters of reprimand, which will negatively affect their pay and chances of promotion. Fire Station 2, located downtown, houses predominantly white firefighters.  

“We had people come in and out of that station, officers whose job it is to make sure the engine house is a safe place where everybody in that house is treated with dignity and respect. That didn’t happen,” Rohlfing said. “That’s what bothers us most.” 

Rohlfing said that everyone has “inherent biases,” emphasizing the importance of anti-harassment and bias training. All members of the department will be receiving such training in the next few months.  

Although the incident was reported Feb. 10, it was not made public until Saturday, Rohlfing said the investigation was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, and was not influenced by recent Black Lives Matter protests.  

“We all get wake-up calls every now and then,” Rohlfing said. “We do a good job, but this certainly will move us forward and help us concentrate on this particular issue because more than anything we want our fire stations to feel safe.”