Police policy on civil unrest response is on hold

Board didn’t approve it after residents protested

A new Milwaukee police policy on how officers should respond to civil disturbances after the Sherman Park unrest is on hold for further study and discussion.

The city’s Fire and Police Commission, a civilian oversight board, did not approve the policy after residents spoke out against it Thursday, concerned about how it will affect civil liberties and why parts of the policy were redacted, or blacked out.

The proposed policy outlines a chain of command, dictates how officers should and should not engage with demonstrators and details how the department should communicate with local leaders before and during a demonstration.

The redacted portions contain “sensitive” law enforcement material and information about how the department will deploy resources during a “dynamic situation,” Assistant Chief James Harpole said at the commission meeting.

Harpole referenced the nights of unrest in Sherman Park in August 2016, which were sparked by a fatal police shooting, and resulted in injuries and millions in property damage. Police technology also picked up hundreds of shots fired during the time, he said.

“We have to be able to effectively police the situation,” he said.

The proposal was developed as a “more comprehensive policy” and incorporated portions of existing policies in Milwaukee and was influenced by best practices in other police agencies and professional organizations, Harpole said.

Commission Chairman Steven DeVougas agreed the department should have a policy, but because of the “civil rights implications,” an attorney needed to review it. He also suggested the policy go before a commission committee for a hearing and more public input.

Community activist Vaun Mayes spoke against the proposed policy based on the department’s response in the weeks after the unrest in 2016 in the area of N. 44th St. and W. Auer Ave. He said police made indiscriminate arrests and swept up people “who had nothing to do with the incident.”

In the past, Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn has praised his officers for their response to the unrest in Sherman Park, saying it was very restrained and prioritized the safety of all.

Earlier this year, Flynn turned to one of his mentors to evaluate the department’s response to the riots. Policing consultant Robert Wasserman will be paid an undisclosed amount by the conservative Bradley Foundation to conduct the study, which has yet to be released.

Reviews are standard after a “critical incident” and the report will be made public once it is complete, a Milwaukee police spokesman said in August.