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Mayor asks for patience from critics of Milwaukee Police Department
Tom Barrett discusses firing of Police Chief Ed Flynn
Updated: 8:22 PM CDT Oct 8, 2012
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett asked for patience as criticism of the Milwaukee Police Department grows.Barrett said this is a volatile time in the city of Milwaukee. He said he believes questions about the Derek Williams death-in-custody case last year must be answered, and said that investigation almost has to be a federal one.Barrett said he is asking for patience regarding calls for the firing of Police Chief Ed Flynn."Do you remain confident that changes are being put in place? Do you remain confident in the chief?" WISN 12 News reporter Nick Bohr asked."There's no doubt in my mind that the chief understands that this is an emotional situation. That's why he has tried and will continue to try to reach out to the community to talk about these things," Barrett said.Barrett said late last week he renewed a call for a federal investigation."It's my hope that with that investigation, we'll have more answers. I don't know what that determination is going to be, but for the system to have credibility, and by that I mean the police department and the district attorney in particular, there has to be a belief by the community that this was given a thorough and fair analysis," Barrett said.The facts surrounding Williams' death were shared with his family during a private meeting with the district attorney a year ago, but didn't become public until recently.Former Milwaukee County District attorney E. Michael McCann made it a practice to have a public inquest for all in-custody deaths."Our policy was if the family wanted an inquest, we'd have an inquest, even if we were satisfied about what happened," McCann said.The inquests were organized like trials with testimony, and the family could ask questions at the proceedings through their attorney. Bohr asked McCann whether that led to greater satisfaction from families."My hope in doing that was the public the community could be satisfied, particularly the families. That didn't happen. They would have the inquest. They were dissatisfied with it. Because of course, they'd be dissatisfied," McCann said. "The results were not what they wished. They want the person charged, so there was a lot of unhappiness. If there was no charge, there was general unhappiness. So there's no ideal system."
MILWAUKEE, Wis. —
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett asked for patience as criticism of the Milwaukee Police Department grows.
Barrett said this is a volatile time in the city of Milwaukee. He said he believes questions about the Derek Williams death-in-custody case last year must be answered, and said that investigation almost has to be a federal one.
Barrett said he is asking for patience regarding calls for the firing of Police Chief Ed Flynn.
"Do you remain confident that changes are being put in place? Do you remain confident in the chief?" WISN 12 News reporter Nick Bohr asked.
"There's no doubt in my mind that the chief understands that this is an emotional situation. That's why he has tried and will continue to try to reach out to the community to talk about these things," Barrett said.
Barrett said late last week he renewed a call for a federal investigation.
"It's my hope that with that investigation, we'll have more answers. I don't know what that determination is going to be, but for the system to have credibility, and by that I mean the police department and the district attorney in particular, there has to be a belief by the community that this was given a thorough and fair analysis," Barrett said.
The facts surrounding Williams' death were shared with his family during a private meeting with the district attorney a year ago, but didn't become public until recently.
Former Milwaukee County District attorney E. Michael McCann made it a practice to have a public inquest for all in-custody deaths.
"Our policy was if the family wanted an inquest, we'd have an inquest, even if we were satisfied about what happened," McCann said.
The inquests were organized like trials with testimony, and the family could ask questions at the proceedings through their attorney. Bohr asked McCann whether that led to greater satisfaction from families.
"My hope in doing that was the public the community could be satisfied, particularly the families. That didn't happen. They would have the inquest. They were dissatisfied with it. Because of course, they'd be dissatisfied," McCann said. "The results were not what they wished. They want the person charged, so there was a lot of unhappiness. If there was no charge, there was general unhappiness. So there's no ideal system."