MILWAUKEE -- One day after Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn announced his retirement, longtime city Alderman Bob Donovan says "I wish Chief Flynn no ill will, I do however believe it is in the best interest of the City of Milwaukee that he move on."
The alderman made the comments at a press conference he hosted at city hall. He cited the city's homicide numbers as a concern.
"When did triple digit murders in a city our size become normal?" said Donovan.
Donovan added that he believes constituents feel the same.
"They resent being told that they are statistically better off than they have been in years" referencing the Police Chief's Monday press conference.
Chief Ed Flynn did say at that media event that he believes the numbers are down, but too high.
For the future, Donovan says he'd like the Fire and Police Commission who are charged with finding the new chief to have Milwaukee natives and people already in the department on the list.
"I hope its members will seek someone with roots in this community. Someone who remembers what Milwaukee was and could be again under the right leadership" said Donovan.
Mayor Tom Barrett said today that he'd like the next chief to be able to navigate the "nuances of a multiracial, multi ethnic city."
The mayor also said he and the commission will discuss if the next chief will fill out the remainder of Flynn's term which ends in 2020 or start an entirely new 4-year term. Flynn will leave his post on February 16.
