18 seeking appointment as Milwaukee County sheriff

Interviews to be over next 2 weeks

Prominent law enforcement officers in Milwaukee County are on the list of 18 applicants seeking Gov. Scott Walker’s appointment as interim county sheriff to replace David A. Clarke Jr.

The applicants include Milwaukee Police Capt. Alfonso Morales, Milwaukee Police Lt. Chris Moews and Acting Sheriff Richard Schmidt.

Schmidt, the former senior commander of the agency, and the other applicants are seeking the interim appointment to complete Clarke’s term through the end of 2018. There will be a November 2018 election to fill the post for a four-year term.

Moews lost twice to Clarke in 2010 and 2014 Democratic primaries.

Milwaukee police Lt. Eric Donaldson, who led the investigation into the dehydration death of inmate Terrill Thomas while in solitary confinement at the county jail, is on the list.

Former Milwaukee Police Capt. Earnell Lucas, now a vice president of security with Major League Baseball, is seeking the appointment. Lucas has registered as a candidate in the November 2018 election.

Carianne Yerkes of Milwaukee, recently retired as Milwaukee police assistant chief, is on the list, as well.

Two applicants live outside the county: Jose Hernandez of Waukesha and Wisconsin State Capitol Police Sgt. Thomas Meverden, of Sun Prairie.

Two others requested confidentiality at this stage of the process and are not named on the list. They would be named if they became finalists, under state law.

The remaining eight applicants are: Patrick Brever, Oak Creek; Ruben Burgos, Milwaukee; Joseph Eesley, Milwaukee; Kenneth Harris, Milwaukee; Tremell Noble, Milwaukee; Robert Ostrowski, Oak Creek; Kenneth Stanton Jr., West Allis; and James Villwock, Oak Creek.

Initial interviews with the applicants will be scheduled over the next two weeks, said Tom Evenson, Walker’s deputy communications director. Finalists will be interviewed by the governor.

Walker intends to appoint the interim sheriff before the end of the year, Evenson said.

Other possible candidates for the sheriff’s job in the November 2018 election said they would not seek Walker’s appointment. They are Milwaukee County Judge John Siefert and U.S. Marshal Kevin Carr, Clarke’s former top aide.

Carr confirmed Thursday that he did not apply for the interim appointment. Carr was appointed U.S. marshal for Eastern District of Wisconsin in 2010.