MILWAUKEE — The day after the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission voted unanimously to demote Chief Alfonso Morales, its members offered little explanation for their decision.
The commission's seven members left Thursday night's meeting without providing further comments on their vote.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett expressed his frustration on Thursday night.
"The discussion surrounding this decision was completely lacking transparency," Barrett said.
TMJ4 reached out to all seven members of the commission on Friday via phone, email, and even knocked on their doors.
Some didn't appear to be home, didn't answer, or didn't respond.
Commissioner Everett Cocroft said on the phone his position hasn't changed since December when he voted against re-appointing then-Chief Morales.
None of the FPC board members were at Acting Chief Michael Brunson's swearing-in ceremony on Friday.
FPC Executive Director Griselda Aldrete said she will not speak for the board because she is a non-voting member, but she thanked Morales for his work.
"I think we feel very confident in the leadership of Chief Brunson," Aldrete said. "I do want to thank Chief Morales for leadership, for his service to the city, and obviously he still hopefully will continue to serve our city in the capacity that he can."
The mayor appoints members of the FPC, and the Common Council approves them. According to the website, the FPC began in Milwaukee in 1885, making it one of the oldest in the country.
