FPC cancels disciplinary hearing for Mattioli
MPD will begin another investigation into officer
Three months after taking over the Milwaukee Police Department’s internal investigation into an officer charged with reckless homicide, the Fire and Police Commission on Wednesday canceled the officer’s anticipated disciplinary trial so police could proceed with its own internal probe.
In a statement, the commission announced that acting Police Chief Michael Brunson has begun a separate, internal investigation into Michael Mattioli,
32, who was charged in Milwaukee County Circuit Court in the death of Joel Acevedo, 25.
It’s unclear if the change will speed up or slow down Mattioli’s employee discipline process, which had already changed hands between the Police Department and the commission once before. Mattioli’s disciplinary hearing will be delayed, but the commission’s statement emphasized that Brunson has the authority to discipline Mattioli.
In April, while off-duty, Mattioli put Acevedo in a 10-minute chokehold during a fight at Mattioli’s house after a party there. Acevedo died about a week later from his injuries.
Since then, Milwaukee and the rest of the nation has been awash in protests over police brutality. Local activists have put a particular focus on Mattioli and have demanded he be fired from the department. Mayor Tom Barrett has echoed the call.
Mattioli remains on paid administrative leave.
Griselda Aldrete, the executive director of the commission, and the Milwaukee Police Department did not immediately return a request for further comment Wednesday.
The Police Department had begun an internal investigation into the matter in April, but the commission made the unprecedented move in May to demand the department stop and turn over all records so the commission could take it over.
The commission said Wednesday it had taken over the Mattioli probe because of “concerns that MPD leadership at the time was not taking necessary action.”
With the commission running things, then-Chief Alfonso Morales said he no longer had the authority to fire Mattioli since his agency wasn’t in charge of the investigation.
In July, the commission announced it filed disciplinary charges against Mattioli and would schedule a trial, but a date was never publicly announced.
On Monday, Mattioli was bound over for the trial in his criminal case in Milwaukee County Circuit Court. He returns to court next week for arraignment.