City approves $627K settlement with former MPD Chief Alfonso Morales

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UPDATED: 07/27/2021 03:28 PM

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- After a lengthy legal battle, the city is finalizing a settlement with former Milwaukee police chief Alfonso Morales.

Tuesday the Common Council approved a settlement.  Throughout this process, aldermen made it clear they are in favor of this settlement because going to court could cost more.

Still, the deal comes with a hefty price tag, and they’re not happy about it.

“Reluctantly council voted to affirm this, but I think all of us think this was totally avoidable and it is unfair to the taxpayers to the city,” said Ald. Michael Murphy.

The Common Council voted 14 in favor, 1 absent to approve paying Morales $627,000 and another $1,500 toward mediation costs. In return, Morales will drop state and federal lawsuits. The deal comes after he was demoted without due process.

Ald. Murphy says he blames the mayor, the Fire and Police Commission and the city attorney for this mess.

“There’s no reason for us to be in this situation if people had done their jobs,” Ald. Murphy said.

Alderwoman Chantia Lewis agrees it’s a big price to pay, but it does allow the city to move forward.

“What we need more than ever is structure within the MPD as well as with the city,” Ald. Lewis said.

She is one of several alders calling for the Fire and Police Commission to make Acting Chief Jeffrey Norman the permanent chief, rather than launching another national search.

“This is how we lose talent,” Ald. Lewis said. “This is how we lose phenomenal talent, we overlook them and think going outside our backyard is better when clearly it’s not.”

The mayor’s office and attorneys for Morales declined to comment after Tuesday’s meeting.

Morales is now a finalist for the chief job in Fitchburg.


PUBLISHED: 07/27/2021 10:35 AM

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee Common Council has approved a settlement between the city and former Milwaukee Police Department Chief Alfonso Morales. The settlement is worth $627,000 plus $1,575 toward mediation costs.

In return, Morales will drop state and federal lawsuits. 

The Milwaukee Police Department is still without a permanent chief. 

Meantime, Morales is up for a chief of police job in Fitchburg, a community just outside of Madison. 

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