Attorney for Milwaukee Police Chief Morales calls to delay decision on whether to fire him
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- In the new normal for Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales, he addressed the press alongside his attorney Frank Gimbel on Thursday, Aug. 6, ahead of a meeting where the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission (FPC) could decide to fire him.
Gimbel said it’s not fair to schedule a decision on firing Morales the same day he the chief is scheduled to present how he is following the directives the FPC gave him two weeks ago.
"The Chief, per the directives of this Fire and Police Commission, submitted a large volume of information," Gimbel said. "They will not have had opportunity to read and digest that information.”
On Wednesday, Aug. 5, the Milwaukee Police Department issued a report on various issues they have with the 11 directives handed to them, including worries that following them could result in lawsuits against the city.
"They have not resolved whether those directives fell within their legal authority to give to the chief,” Gimbel said.
Complicating matters, this comes amidst calls for FPC Chair Steven DeVougas to step down following possible ethics violations.
Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarippa sent the following statement:
“Just as public trust has been lost with Chief Morales, so too, has it been lost with Mr. Devougas…I ask my colleagues and Mayor Barrett to join me in calling for the removal of both Chief Alfonso Morales and FPC Chairman Steven DeVougas.”
DeVougas called a news conference Thursday afternoon, and said he was targeted because he spoke out against the police department
He wouldn’t take many questions but CBS 58 did ask him to respond to Chief Morales' claims that some of the directives issued to police were not legal.
"All of the directives were vetted through the city, the city attorney's office, they signed off on them...All of the requests were bases on previous requests that have been outstanding for the last three months," DeVougas said.
When asked if DeVougas will vote to fire Morales, he wouldn't say.
Meanwhile, Morales said he is working to follow the directives given to him.
"As of now I'm still the chief of police," Morales said. "I’m committed to being the chief of police. We’re going through some bizarre times in 2020.”
Morales said if he is fired, he will consider taking legal action against the city.
The FPC has two meetings scheduled Thursday; an executive session at 4:30 p.m., and an open meeting at 5:30 p.m.