Former Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales is requesting a Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge to force the city to allow him to return to the position that he was demoted from last year.
Morales’ attorney Frank Gimbel filed a new affidavit Tuesday, asking the judge to act as soon as possible.
In his filing, Gimbel cites the lack of action taken by the City of Milwaukee to reinstate Morales following a ruling by Judge Christopher Foley on December 18, 2020 that overturned the city’s Fire and Police Commission to demote Morales from Chief to Captain back on August 6, 2020. Judge Foley cited a lack of due process in the commission’s decision for his reason to overturn.
Gimbel states he has met with city officials several times since the December ruling to reach an agreement on the matter. He writes Morales was “ready and willing to return to the Chief’s job” by early March, and they had not received a buyout or settlement offer from the city.
Gimbel adds the reason for his new request comes after the Milwaukee Common Council approved hiring an outside law firm to assist the City Attorney’s office on the matter in mid-April.
Gimbel writes: “The discord, distrust and uneasy stand-off that currently exists at City Hall between the City of Milwaukee, its (Fire and Police Commission) and the City Attorney’s office as to whether or not to honor Judge Foley’s Dec. 18, 2020, order is no excuse or good reason for continued delay and (the city’s) inaction and disobedience of the Court’s order.”
The affidavit is also asking that the City of Milwaukee compensate Morales by reimbursing him for his past salary and benefits since August 6, 2020, as well as covering all court costs.
Morales retired from the department after the Fire and Police Commission’s decision. He has been critical of how the city has handled his demotion situation.
