FPC selects Norman as next acting chief of police
After two weeks of trying and failing to select a permanent chief, the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission named Jeffrey Norman as its next acting chief of police Thursday.
Norman, an assistant chief, will take over from Michael Brunson Sr. in the temporary role Dec. 23 following Brunson’s retirement. Brunson recommended the selection of Norman, who was briefly considered for the permanent role two months ago.
Norman, a 24-year veteran of the Milwaukee Police Department and native of the city, will serve as the top cop while the commission navigates a tied vote for his permanent successor.
“I am honored to serve in this role,” Norman said during Thursday’s online meeting.
For two weeks now, the commission has been stuck with 3-3 vote between Maj. Malik Aziz of the Dallas Police Department and Supervisory Special Agent Hoyt Mahaley of the FBI.
Norman was originally the only internal candidate to be named one of six finalists for the permanent chief position last fall. But after a round of private interviews with commissioners in October, he did not make the cut to the final three.
With Chairman Nelson Soler absent Thursday, the commission voted 5-0 in selecting Norman, but not without some brief confusion.
Without any prior discussion, a motion to approve a resolution for selecting the next acting chief was moved and seconded by commissioners Steven DeVougas and Fred Crouther. A unanimous vote was then tallied without anyone ever saying who they were voting for.
It was only after the fact that Commissioner Everett Cocroft made it clear the commission had voted for Norman, based on Brunson’s letter of recommendation, which was not made available to the public or discussed in the meeting prior to the vote.
The commission originally committed to selecting a permanent chief by Dec. 3, but has failed to break the tie after holding two separate votes and little debate since then.
Another vote is not expected until Jan. 7, in the hope that Amanda Avalos – Mayor Tom Barrett’s nominated seventh commissioner – is by then confirmed by the Common Council and ready to cast a deciding vote.
But that process has already experienced delays. Avalos could have been confirmed Tuesday, but the Common Council was forced to table the matter because a background check on Avalos was performed by an outside firm and not by the Milwaukee County Sheriff ’s Office, as required by city ordinance.
In a statement Wednesday, the sheriff’s office said it is working “expeditiously” to complete the background check.
Aziz, meanwhile, has emerged as a finalist for the police chief job in Dallas, where a decision is expected by the end of the month, according to the Dallas Morning News.
Brunson, a 25-year department veteran who was sworn in as acting chief in early August, did not apply for the permanent role because of his retirement plans.