Milwaukee, WI

Strong support for Milwaukee police chief’s reappointment signaled from hiring body

Published

9 months ago

June 6, 2025

Press Room

Strong support for Milwaukee police chief’s reappointment signaled from hiring body

Members of the Fire and Police Commission, the city’s hiring body for its police chief, indicated they were in support of rehiring Jeffrey Norman as the city’s police chief.
Norman’s current tenure ends in November, but the commission’s chair said the group would make its final decision on June 26.
Norman has worked for the department since 1996 and been chief since 2020, when he was named acting chief. He was made permanent chief in 2021.

As his contract comes up for renewal, Milwaukee’s police chief received strong signals of support early in his rehiring process.

Almost all of the city’s Fire and Police Commission, the oversight body that handles hiring of the police chief, signaled they were in support of Police Chief Jeffrey Norman’s rehiring. The commission is slated to make its final decision on Norman’s reappointment June 26.

“He’s one of the best qualified chiefs I’ve ever known,” said Miriam Horwitz, the commission’s chair.

With seven of the commission’s nine members in attendance at the meeting, six said they were in support of rehiring Norman, who did not attend the commission meeting. Norman’s current contract expires Nov. 15.

Norman previously told the Journal Sentinel he would take an offer, if the commission extended it to him.

“I believe our department has made great strides,” Norman said at the time. “I desire to continue to build upon that.”

The commission’s support follows Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson saying he was in support of rehiring the chief as well.

At the June 5 meeting, activist Vaun Mayes and Levi Stein, president of the Friendship Circle of Wisconsin, said they were in support of Norman’s rehiring as well.

Mayes, who leads the organization Community Task Force, said a past police chief indicated he would talk with community groups, regardless of their support, and that did not happen. Norman has done that consistently, he said.

With the Fire and Police Commission no longer having policymaking power for the city’s police department due to a 2023 state law, Mayes said it was important to maintain Norman’s place in Milwaukee’s department.

After that law, called Act 12, was passed, Norman elected to move a new bodycam footage release policy forward, despite opposition from the city’s police union.

“I am very afraid of the wrong person coming in with that kind of power and what they could and couldn’t do,” Mayes said.

Norman, who is in his 29th year in law enforcement, has spent his entire policing career with the city’s department.

He was hired as acting chief of the department in 2020 and named police chief the following year, following the retirement of another acting chief and the controversial removal of former chief Alfonso Morales in 2020.

The Milwaukee native was first hired in 1996 and served as a lieutenant in the homicide unit and captain of District 3, which includes parts of the central city and west side.

Norman was hired as chief, in part, due to his track record of community engagement.

Since being named chief, Norman has led the department through the crime spikes amid the COVID-19 pandemic, heavy local and state policy change after George Floyd’s murder prompted national outrage and policing during the Republican National Convention.

Rocky periods have occurred during his tenure.

During the Republican National Convention, he and the department came under scrutiny after Columbus, Ohio, police officers shot and killed Sam Sharpe Jr. The officers, who did not face charges in the shooting, shot him about a mile from the convention’s perimeter after the officers saw Sharpe appear to move toward another man while wielding knives.

The officers were not accompanied by local police, which top department officials previously indicated any out-of-state officers would be in the lead-up to the convention. After the shooting, Norman later acknowledged local officers should have been with the Ohio police officers.

The department also came under scrutiny for its handling of events in the lead-up to the homicide of Bobbie Lou Schoeffling. Schoeffling, a 31-year-old mother of two, had been reporting abuse and threats from her ex-boyfriend.

Schoeffling was found shot to death on July 26, 2022. Her ex-boyfriend, Nicholas Howell, was convicted of killing Schoeffling last year and sentenced to life in prison.

Norman initially declined an interview with the Journal Sentinel into the department’s handling of the case but after the new organization published an investigation into her death, he ordered a review of every contact the department had with Schoeffling. The review led to the suspension of four officers.

“We have recognized our shortcomings and we, I believe, have a proven track record of … being open to feedback and working with the communities,” Norman said at the time he opened the review.

In 2024, Norman was a finalist for the police chief position in Austin, Texas, but was ultimately passed on for the role. At that time, a department spokesperson said Norman remained “steadfast” in his commitment to Milwaukee.

The chief previously declined to tell the Journal Sentinel in May whether he has applied for other jobs as his term approaches its end in Milwaukee. He said he was focused on reappointment locally.

Norman’s pay appears to have been negotiated in the months leading up to his reappointment discussions. The Fire and Police Commission’s executive committee has met in closed session four times regarding senior law enforcement pay.

While the city of Milwaukee’s Common Council sets the pay range for the chief of police position, the Fire and Police Commission ultimately selects what the salary is in that range.

Leon Todd, the commission’s executive director, said he could not address what was discussed in those meetings.

Norman made a gross salary of $177,112.44 in 2024, according to the city’s online pay databases.

The Fire and Police Commission will hold two public comment sessions for Norman’s rehiring before the June 26 vote.

David Clarey is a public safety reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at dclarey@gannett.com.

Source link

Click to comment

Milwaukee, WI

Illegal dumping plagues closed Milwaukee Pick ‘n Save

Published

8 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Illegal dumping plagues closed Milwaukee Pick ‘n Save

Illegal dumping plagues closed Pick ‘n Save

Neighbors say since a Milwaukee Pick ‘n Save at 35th and North closed in 2025, the parking lot has been filling up, but not with cars or people. It has been attracting illegal dumpers.

MILWAUKEE – Neighbors say since the Milwaukee Pick ‘n Save at 35th and North closed in 2025, the parking lot has been filling up, but not with cars or people. It has been attracting illegal dumpers.

Trash piling up

What we know:

There are old mattresses and furniture in the parking lot. There are piles of garbage at the entrance of the old grocery store. Behind the building, there are tires, more mattresses and more trash.

Illegal dumping at former grocery store near 35th and North, Milwaukee

The Pick ‘n Save stores closed in July 2025. Since then, the building has sat empty.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

FOX6 News was contacted by a man who manages senior and family housing in the area. He said in the last couple of months, he has noticed the stile turn into a place for illegal dumping. The man said he was so fed up, he called the office of Milwaukee Alderman Russell Stamper about the problem. The man said the whole site is an eyesore, and something needs to change.

Illegal dumping at former grocery store near 35th and North, Milwaukee

Change sought

What they’re saying:

“As the snow melts, it’s full of garbage. People are dumping furniture on it, tires,” said Jeffrey Sessions, who manages nearby property. “If you drive around it, it’s garbage everywhere. It’s unsightly for the neighborhood, and it’s probably going to create rats and mice problems.”

FOX6 News reached out to the Department of Neighborhood Services. Officials said the dumping has not been reported. They said the department’s commercial team will now be made aware of the issue.

Illegal dumping at former grocery store near 35th and North, Milwaukee

“It makes the whole neighborhood look like garbage, like nobody’s taking care of anything around here,” Sessions said. “It’s a detriment, it’s unsightly, and it needs to be addressed.”

Illegal dumpers could face fines

Dig deeper:

If the dumpers are caught on camera, they could face fines.

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

The owner of the property may also be ordered to clean it up.

Illegal dumping at former grocery store near 35th and North, Milwaukee

The Source: Information in this post was provided by a person who owns property near the former grocery store, as well as Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services.

Crime and Public SafetyMilwaukeeNews

Source link

Milwaukee, WI

Things to do in the Milwaukee area this weekend, including Sports Show

Published

20 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Things to do in the Milwaukee area this weekend, including Sports Show

Travel to Ireland, learn how to catch a fish, visit wildlife at the zoo, and see costumed characters this weekend in Milwaukee.

Anime Milwaukee

The 2026 “Magical Academy” themed animation convention comes to the Baird Center, 400 W. Wisconsin Ave., and Hilton Milwaukee City Center March 6-8. The weekend features Japanese industry guests and cultural experts, artists and official merchandise, gaming, music, dance, manga, cosplay, anime and Asian fashion. New this year is the Nocturna Anime Bar with a lounge and specialty drinks, including nonalcoholic beverages. Exhibit hall hours are 1 to 8 p.m. March 6, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 7 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 8. Full weekend access is $100; single day access is $50-$75. animemilwaukee.org

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sports Show

The 85th year of the Sports Show is at State Fair Park’s Wisconsin Exposition Center, 8200 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis, from noon to 7 p.m. March 6, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 7 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 8. Along with outdoor exhibitors, see what’s swimming in the trout pond, watch the lumberjack show and the fastest retriever race, or catch the archery and air rifle tournaments. General admission tickets at the door are $15; youth tickets (ages 6-14) are $6. In honor of Women’s Day on March 8, all women receive $10 admission at the door. Check out the full schedule at jssportsshow.com.

Gardens & Gears: Steampunk Faire

Celebrate the industrial age at the Gardens & Gears art fair from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 7 at the Mitchell Park Domes, 524 S. Layton Blvd. The immersive garden event features creators, costumes and live entertainment, with gears, goggles and handcrafted mechanical curiosities on display in the gardens. Domes admission required. mitchellparkdomes.com

Milwaukee County Zoo Family Free Day

Everyone receives free admission at the Milwaukee County Zoo, 10001 W. Blue Mound Road, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 7. See the red pandas in their outdoor habitat, lions, penguins and more. Parking and regular attraction fees still apply. milwaukeezoo.org

Irish Family Day

Travel to the Irish countryside during “Passport to Ireland” from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 8 at the CelticMKE Center, 1532 N. Wauwatosa Ave., Wauwatosa. With Irish dance, arts, crafts and storytelling, each county will be featured with an activity that celebrates Irish culture, history and traditions. Buy one, get one free Irish Fest tickets will be available to purchase, with lunch, beverages and snacks served in the Celtic Café. Admission is $10 at the door. celticmke.com

What’s new in Milwaukee-area theaters this weekend

Marcus Theatres: See a marathon of the 2026 Best Picture nominees at select theater locations. Day one of the marathon is March 7 and features “Sentimental Value,” “F1: The Movie,” “The Secret Agent,” “Bugonia,” and “Sinners.” The marathon resumes March 14 with a new set of films. Visit marcustheatres.com.

Milwaukee Film: Women’s History Month programming features the action films of Michelle Yeoh. See her Oscar-winning performance in “Everything Everywhere All At Once” screening at 6 p.m. March 6 at the Oriental Theatre.

“Hoppers”: A robotic animal with a human mind helps real animals thwart a plot to destroy their habitat in this Disney and Pixar feature film. See it at AMC Mayfair Mall; Avalon Theater; Marcus Theatres’ BistroPlex Southridge, Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, Movie Tavern Brookfield Square, North Shore, Ridge, South Shore cinemas; Rosebud Cinema.

“The Bride!”: A lonely Frankenstein (Christian Bale) travels to 1930s Chicago to ask a scientist (Annette Bening) to create a companion. See it at AMC Mayfair Mall; Marcus Theatres’ BistroPlex Southridge, Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, Movie Tavern Brookfield Square, North Shore, Ridge, South Shore cinemas.

“Protector”: A veteran war hero (Milla Jovovich) must use the violent skills she thought she left behind to save her daughter. See it at Marcus Theatres’ BistroPlex Southridge, Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, Movie Tavern Brookfield Square, North Shore, Ridge, South Shore cinemas.

Source link

Milwaukee, WI

MPD officer accused of using Flock cameras to monitor dating partner resigns

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

MPD officer accused of using Flock cameras to monitor dating partner resigns

Josue Ayala has resigned from the Milwaukee Police Department days after he was charged with a crime over his alleged misuse of license plate-reading Flock technology.

Ayala, 33, pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted misconduct in public office during his initial court appearance on March 4.

The charge is a misdemeanor that carries a potential maximum penalty of nine months in jail and $10,000 fine.

Milwaukee is one in a growing number of communities nationally that have started using Flock cameras to help locate stolen vehicles, identify vehicles used in violent crimes, and track vehicles associated with missing persons. The technology is controversial and been criticized by civil rights and privacy advocates.

Conducting searches for personal reasons is a violation of department policies.

Prosecutors say Ayala used the Flock camera system while on duty more than 120 times to look up the license plate of someone he was dating. They believe Flock technology also was used on a second license plate, one belonging to that person’s ex, 55 times, according to a criminal complaint, filed Feb. 24 in Milwaukee County Circuit Court.

Ayala joined the Milwaukee Police Department in 2017, and his total gross pay was about $120,000 in 2024, according to the most recent city salary data available.

Milwaukee police confirmed in a March 4 email to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Ayala has resigned from the department.

Ayala and his attorney Michael J. Steinle, of Milwaukee, would not speak to reporters as they left the courtroom.

Prosecutors say the department became aware of the allegations against Ayala after a driver saw that they were the subject of searches through the website, www.haveibeenflocked.com, which collects and publishes “audit logs” of searches of the Flock system by police agencies.

The driver saw that Ayala had searched the plate numerous times, which prompted the driver to file a complaint with the Milwaukee Police Department.

Detectives then audited Ayala’s searches in the Flock system from March 26, 2025, through May 26, 2025.

Ayala is at least the second Wisconsin officer to face criminal charges for misuse of the Flock system. A Menasha police officer was charged in January for tracking an ex-girlfriend’s car.

Milwaukee police began using Flock cameras in 2022. MPD has a $182,900 contract with Flock for the use of the technology. That contract is active through January 2027.

Court Commissioner Dewey B. Martin released Ayala on a $2,500 signature bond March 4.

Signature bonds, sometimes referred to as a personal recognizance bond, allow a defendant to leave custody without paying cash as long as they sign a promise to appear for their upcoming court dates.

Martin also ordered Ayala not to contact the two victims in the case.

Ayala also must report to the Milwaukee County Jail to be booked on March 9. If he doesn’t show up, a bench warrant will be issued for his arrest.

Ayala is scheduled to appear for a pre-trial conference on April 17.

David Clarey of the Journal Sentinel contributed to this story.

Chris Ramirez covers courts for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at caramirez@usatodayco.com.

Source link