“We’ve had a slight increase in domestic violence homicides this year but the biggest driver of our homicides is arguments and fights and retaliation among people with criminal records,” Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn said Thursday.
“Some of our challenge is simply consistently being able to deter armed offending through the criminal justice system,” he added. “The penalties are too weak.”
The penalties are fine. What’s weak are the prosecutors and judges who too often fail to implement them.
And finally, “If you are in an argument with a stranger, ask them how often they’ve been arrested. If they’ve been arrested more often than you’ve been arrested, concede the point…”
Flynn’s remarks were met with laughter from the audience.
But the laughter quickly died. Milwaukee is a city that saw 145 homicides and 633 non-fatal shootings last year. It has also seen high profile murders of children – none of whom violated Flynn’s “simple rules.”
Two dozen officers gathered in the City Hall rotunda Friday morning to reveal the results of the nonbinding vote, which union leaders said they hoped would get the attention of Mayor Tom Barrett, the Common Council and the city’s Fire and Police Commission.
After his office was presented with the results, Barrett quickly released a statement saying he has “complete confidence in (Flynn) and the hardworking members of the rank and file.”
The union said 99.3% of members who voted chose no-confidence in Flynn. The union did not disclose the total number of members who voted but indicated it was a higher than average turnout.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Police Association plans a no-confidence vote on the city’s police chief next week following the firing of an officer who fatally shot a man in a downtown park.
Union president Mike Crivello says morale among officers has been “broken” by the firing of Officer Christopher Manney. Police Chief Edward Flynn fired Manney earlier this month, saying Manney instigated the fight that led to the shooting.
