MPD chief details cuts that might be required to ‘defund the police’
My name is Alfonso Morales. Most people call me Al. I was born and raised in Milwaukee. I am a proud second generation Mexican-American. I have a beautiful wife and two amazing children. I am proud to be your chief of police. Our officers are also members of the community, have families, care about police-community relations and, like everyone else, want to go home safely to their loved ones at the end of their shift.
I have heard the outcries of racial injustice. Generational wounds of oppression, racism and disenfranchisement have been reopened by examples of totally unacceptable and completely illegal police brutality. These are real emotions and reactions that cannot be understated.
The byproduct of the past few weeks is great division and further discord. It has turned into an “Us vs. Them” mentality. That must change. We are in this together. It must simply be…
I, too, am disgusted and outraged by the actions of those Minneapolis police officers. And I, too, demand improvements to law enforcement, including MPD. But
that does not mean you cannot also support your local law enforcement agency and the men and women in blue who risk their lives every day to keep your community safer. These are not mutually exclusive concepts.
We must have real discussions of what “defunding the police” means. If it means abandoning the concept of law enforcement, that is a nonstarter. If that means conducting a laser-focused, deep dive into the responsibilities of policing and the consequences of reallocating resources, count me in.
Police cannot and should not be the first responder for all social ills. Being a Milwaukee Police Department officer in 2020 means being a part-time therapist, drug addiction counselor, landlord-tenant arbitrator, homelessness advocate, private security guard, traffic controller, parking attendant, family counselor and animal control officer. We need to admit that we are all open to change.
This means we need to have conversations — real conversations. Not arguments. Not insults. Not hyperbolic rhetoric. And we need to have those conversations result in thoughtful and impactful actions. We cannot merely strip away responsibilities from the police without a comprehensive plan for who can and will address the issues. These social issues will not disappear because they are taken off the police call sheet. Those organizations must be funded, staffed and prepared to embark on this new vision as partners.
We also need to know what defunding MPD looks like. Our Common Council has suggested a 10% cut. It's approximately $30 million, which would roughly equate to up to 375 officers in addition to the 60 officers cut last year. That would be a 25% reduction in police officers in Milwaukee in just two years.
How would that defunding occur? And what does it mean to reinvest into “social services?” Exactly which social services? Currently, the Milwaukee Police Department responds to more than 700 calls a day. Will that organization respond to a call at 2 a.m.? How about on a weekend?
If implemented for the 2021 budget, will there be a comprehensive plan by Jan. 1, 2021? The calls will be coming. Who will be there to respond?
Let have a conversation. I understand budget cuts and I understand investing in our community. However, I do not understand how defunding improves the underlying issues of social injustices and police brutality or increases diversity in MPD.
Let me be clear: I do not take pleasure in reducing any of our services. And I do not suggest these changes lightly. But Milwaukee, you deserve an honest conversation to understand the real repercussions of defunding so I want you to know what that might look like:
Reduced call types for MPD response: Last year, MPD responded to nearly 80,000 calls for service for noncriminal social service issues, nuisance calls and calls that involve other departments. Going forward, we may no longer be able to assist on these issues. This includes calls related to prostitution, mental health, family trouble, drug overdoses and noise complaints.
Less traffic enforcement: There will need to be a reduced footprint in traffic enforcement, including responding to traffic accidents that are not criminal in nature. This will also reduce availability for traffic initiatives, such as those addressing reckless driving and drunken driving.
Reduced role at schools: MPD responds to about 8,000 calls for service for schools each year. I supported a reduced presence at Milwaukee Public Schools and agree that money should be reinvested into social services. We will need to go further. We would no longer respond to trouble with subject, school monitoring and other non-criminal offenses.
Increased response time: The biggest driver for police response time is police availability. A reduction in the number of officers means a longer wait time for calls for service.
No special events: MPD could no longer provide free private security for parades, festivals and public events throughout the city. This includes Code RED, which provides safety for downtown bars and restaurants on the weekend. It also includes security and traffic control outside venues like the Fiserv Forum for games, concerts and other events.
No extra duty: Businesses around Milwaukee have paid for police services, like Bucks games, Brewers games and at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. With a drastic reduction in sworn strength, those officers would no longer be available to assist in their security needs.
No fingerprinting: MPD currently does fingerprinting services for new business and individual licenses, like bartender and contractor licenses. We could no longer support this service.
Unfortunately, I fear this would only be a starting point. We will also need to reconsider our presence in county parks, our role in arson investigations and our ability to provide background checks for other city departments. Real defunding means real consequences. With Milwaukee's homicide rate nearly double from last year, we need to get this right.
Despite these difficult times, I have never been more proud to be your police chief, a minority and a lifelong Milwaukeean. Most importantly, I am proud of this city and the future we can shape together.
The Milwaukee Police Department is listening. I am listening. Please share your thoughts through a new email I created to hear from you: TalktoMPD@Milwaukee.gov.
Join
in the discussion.
Alfonso Morales is chief of the Milwaukee Police Department.