Activists to call for preservation of Milwaukee police video release policy

The Milwaukee Police Administration Building downtown. (Photo | Isiah Holmes)

Activists from the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (MAARPR) are planning to picket outside the offices of the Milwaukee Police Association Friday evening, calling for the preservation of video release policies passed last year. The policy, passed by the Fire and Police Commission (FPC) and signed by Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman, applies to critical incidents involving police officers, such as shootings and in-custody deaths. Under the policy, video depicting an where someone is hurt or killed in an officer-involved incident would be released to the victim’s family within 48 hours, and to the public within 15 days.

Shortly after the policy was passed, the Milwaukee Police Association filed a civil lawsuit to block its implementation. Since then, the FPC has been stripped of its ability to set policy for the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD), as part of negotiations between the Wisconsin Legislature and local elected officials.

Alan Chavoya, outreach chair for the MAARPR said activists are waiting for a decision in the case, which could come as soon as Monday. Judge Brittney Grayson said in January that she would issue a written decision within 60 days. The lawsuit argues that passing the policy without consulting with the association — the union representing most Milwaukee officers — violated its collective bargaining agreement with the city.

Chavoya said a lot is riding on the survival of the policy. “We stand firmly behind it, and the need for greater transparency and accountability from law enforcement,” Chavoya told Wisconsin Examiner. Calling the Milwaukee Police Association “a reactionary entity,” Chavoya denounced the association’s opposition to the policy. While the police association says the policy violates its collective bargaining agreement, other officials from the Milwaukee Area Investigative Team — a network of local police personnel who conduct officer-involved incident investigations — have testified at FPC meetings that the policy threatens the integrity of their investigations.

Milwaukee Alliance activists, joined by the families of people who were  killed by police or died in custody, say the policy is needed to ensure public trust and to provide families with answers. “We view their move to sue the city as a way to circumvent all of these efforts,” said Chavoya. The Alliance gathered  more than 1,000 petition signatures from Milwaukee residents who agree with the video release policy.

Milwaukee Police Chief Norman told reporters during a Milwaukee Press Club Luncheon this month that he could not comment extensively on  ongoing litigation, but that MPD continues to work on transparency. Norman pointed to community briefing videos, in which MPD personnel narrate officer-involved incidents and play edited portions of video, as examples of efforts to build transparency. “Until this gets worked out, we will still stand by what we currently do that is the standing policy,” said Norman.

Yet for local activists and the families of people killed by police, that level of transparency isn’t enough. Chevoya said that besides the ongoing litigation over the video release policy, the Alliance is also concerned that the policy will be suspended during the Republican National Convention (RNC). “It was a very alarming process,” said Chevoya, recalling the FPC meeting where the policy was suspended. Usually, public comment is among the first things the commission takes up during meetings. Instead, the public portion of the meeting was delayed over an hour for a closed-door executive meeting the FPC conducted. When they came out of closed session, commissioners decided to vote on the policy rather than hear public comment, the majority of which, Chevoya recalled, was against suspending the policy.

“We fought it then, but like I said, they didn’t even give us a chance to testify before their decision,” said Chevoya.

Chevoya said suspending the video release policy for the RNC is a “big red flag saying that they’re prepared to do things that they don’t want to be seen by the public.” On Friday at noon, the Alliance is planning a press conference to speak more on the policy and litigation, followed by a picket outside the Milwaukee Police Association at 5 p.m.

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