MILWAUKEE — The smoke, hopefully, begins to clear regarding Milwaukee's police chief confusion.
On Monday, the attorney representing ousted police chief Alfonso Morales meets with the Assistant City Attorney about next steps.
This comes after a judge reversed the fire and police commission’s decision to demote Morales.
Franklyn Gimbel, the attorney representing Chief Morales said he truly doesn’t know what to expect in his meeting Monday. He hopes, though, they can come to an agreement – either ending with Chief Morales back, or compensated significantly.
“One. Does the City of Milwaukee want Alfonso Morales back? And two; If they do not, what are they going to do to make him go away?” Gimbel asked.
Morales retired shortly after his demotion from Milwaukee’s Fire and Police Commission on Aug. 6, but that decision, reversed in court Friday.
“I think that Chief Morales would like to have to recognition of the fact that he’s been maltreated in this process,” Gimbel said.
Circuit Court Judge Christopher Foley, called Morales’ demotion a “open and obvious” disregard for statutory and constitutional requirements of notice and an opportunity to be heard.
His decision also determines the commission didn’t proceed on a correct theory of law.
“Even the city conceded in their filing Chief Morales was denied due process,” Gimbel said.
Friday’s ruling furthers complications a situation for a city seeking its next top cop. Acting Police Chief Michael Brunson is set to retire Wednesday.
Milwaukee Police chief finalists, Dallas Major Malik Aziz and FBI Special Agent Hoyt Mahaley also await word on their futures with the department.
Gimbel said revering Morales’ retirement status can be re-modified if the city would want him to come back. something he hopes to learn on Monday.
“It's not a simple knock on the door and ‘I’m back.’ I think we, at a minimum, have to figure out the protocol to return to a rather crowded executive floor on the police department,” Gimbel said.
TMJ4 News also reached out to the City Attorney’s office and the Mayor’s office. We received a response from the Mayor’s office saying, “we will comment after.”
