Wauwatosa Peace Officers Association poll shows lack of confidence in political leadership

WAUWATOSA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Off-duty officer Joseph Mensah stands by his story of being shot at outside his girlfriend’s house this past weekend.

But the Wauwatosa Peace Officers Association has supported his account of the events and say they have the evidence to prove it.

Thursday afternoon, Aug. 13, they held a press conference where they addressed that incident.

The president of the Wauwatosa Peace Officers Association says the way political leadership has handled the incident from this past Saturday is deeply concerning.

But he says it’s just one of many that had led them to lose confidence in the city’s mayor and political leadership.

“The circumstances and the facts involved should sound alarming,” said John Milotzky, president of the Wauwatosa Peace Officers Association.

Milotzky says the suspension of Officer Joseph Mensah was unfair and did not provide any facts for doing so.

“The facts clearly show that beyond misinformed and misleading statements, Officer Mensah has been subjected to prejudice and a denial of due process by the political leadership of Wauwatosa,” said Milotzky.

Appearing on Fox and Friends Wednesday morning, Mensah shared that same concern.

“The police and fire commission changed the rules to allow them to reinvestigate that again,” said Mensah. “And once they suspended me again, they did not give a single reason why I was suspended.”

Members of the Wauwautosa Police Department held the press conference to highlight deeply concerning issues that allegedly started long before the incident at Mensah’s girlfriend’s home this past Saturday.

The WPOA polled 70 of its 72 members August 2-4.

One hundred percent of them responded that they do not feel that Wauwatosa Mayor Dennis McBride supports them.

Ninety-nine percent of them say they have no confidence in his leadership, or in having the support of the Wauwatosa Common Council.

Milotzky says these numbers indicate little hope in where this leadership is heading.

“These numbers represent failed political leadership and they represent the consequences of failed political leadership,” said Milotzky. “And they represent the consequences of politically motivated actions.”

Mensah is on paid suspension while the Wauwatosa Police and Fire Commission investigates his shootings.

They are scheduled to meet again tomorrow.