STAGED EVENT MIFFS POLICE UNION

There was no room in Mayor Tom Barrett’s office for members of the police union (some with signs suggesting an “early release” for Governor Jim Doyle) during a hastily-called joint press conference the dual dignitaries held Friday.

Politics, it seems, is in bad form during election season and had nothing to do with Doyle’s decision to come to Milwaukee to jointly announce with the mayor a summer youth jobs program and extra funds for police overtime.

(One police union sign read, “Governor Doyle, Welcome to Milwaukee. FINALLY”)

This came a day after U. S. Rep. Mark Green took Doyle to task for not coming to Milwaukee’s aid after a violent Memorial Day weekend. Green is running for governor against Doyle, and had just that day received the endorsement of the Milwaukee Police Association.

The union is furious with Doyle because Lenard Wells, the former head of the state Parole Commission, freed a cop killer. The union wants this practice to stop. Wells resigned, for what could be described as political reasons.

In the midst of all of this politics, nine union members, carrying the signs (“No More Cop Killers on Streets”) were turned away from the closed-door meeting in the mayor’s office by a member of the governor’s staff who said there was only room for the dignitaries, including Chief Nannette Hegerty, and the media. That probably would be enough to fill up the mayor’s office.

“Why not hold the event in the larger reception area?” the police asked.

“Because it’s not safe.”

“Of course it’s not safe, you’re in the city of Milwaukee,” the cops responded.

“We don’t have the proper security detail.”

The fact is the mayor and governor were both together Thursday in a crowd of 1,000 at the groundbreaking of the Harley-Davidson Museum held outdoors, and were plenty secure. The mayor has held many news conferences in the vestibule of his office at which members of the police union have appeared. The police hung around, and after the event challenged Barrett and Doyle. The two did not respond and walked stiffly away, smiling for the cameras, and missing an opportunity to say something to disarm the competition.

Politicians used to be much more able to handle contact with their opposition, and should know that there will be protestors and sign-bearers in their presence. However, it is far too easy for chief executives to hold their press conferences in their offices where any opposition would be out of sight. Access control is a privilege of incumbency.

The elements of the governor’s proposal included his directing a share of federal money under his control to Milwaukee for summer jobs.

He also announced $200,000 in overtime money for the police. “That’s about two weeks’ worth of overtime,” said Sebastian Raclaw of the police union. Doyle also said he plans to ask the legislature Joint Finance Committee for an additional $1 million in overtime money. Although the legislature has pretty much gone to bed, the governor can convene something called a 1310 session to request the funds.

Of course, it gets hot every summer, and June seems a bit late to be planning the summer’s police budget.

There is a general consensus that crime is out of control in certain areas of the city. Former police chief Art Jones, faced with this perennial problem, saturated the streets with cops. Although crime went down, overtime costs skyrocketed. Furthermore, the Milwaukee Police Department is short 250 of its authorized strength, according to union numbers. We will have to face this financial and social reality one way or another.

Here is a link to the joint press release of the governor and mayor, from the governor’s website.

--Michael Horne

CAMPAIGN SEASON BEGINS and Other Stories

GRAL SENTENCING DELAYEDThe sentencing hearing scheduled for June 2nd in United States District Court for Michael A. Gral has been cancelled, according to the clerk there. No date has been rescheduled at this time. Gral was a Milwaukee attorney involved in the scandal that has sent Robert Brownell of Bielinski Brothers contractors to jail. Gral pleaded guilty in the courtroom of Judge Charles Clevert in case 05-CR-013. No reason was given for the cancellation of the sentencing hearing. – Michael Horne

HISSOM SURFACES – KINDA

Doug Hissom, formerly of the Shepherd Express, has established a website entitled The Hissom ReportHowever, thus far the site has nothing to report, other than that it exists. – Michael Horne

OUT OF THE WOODWORK AND IN YOUR FACE
Nomination Papers Begin Circulating Today

June 1^st is the first day for candidates to circulate nomination papers for the September primary election. In Milwaukee County, County Clerk Mark Ryan, Clerk of Courts John Barrett, Register of Deeds John LaFave and Treasurer Dan Diliberti have taken out papers. All are incumbents in their position, and all are, thus far, unopposed. (If you’d like to run, you have until July 11^th to turn in your nomination papers.) Sheriff David A. Clarke, Jr. has taken out papers (let’s see if he submits them on time, for a change) as has Vince Bobot who plans to face the sheriff in the democratic primary, thus far the only race on the county ballot. Don Holt, of Greenfield, plans to run as a Republican. Holt says that of Milwaukee’s last five sheriffs, all democrats, only Richard Artison was a man of character and integrity. The rest of them, present company included, were all political hacks, he concludes. Among state races, all assembly seats and odd-numbered senate districts are up for election this fall. We’ll cover that action later. Another state office – that of Milwaukee County District Attorney – has found only one candidate taking out papers thus far. That is assistant D.A. John Chisholm, running as a democrat, who must come up with between 500 and 1,000 signatures to get on the ballot – alone. It seems inconceivable that there would be no competitive race to succeed retiring D.A. E. Michael McCann, who has been in office since 1967. We’ll find out by July 11^th if this will be a cakewalk for Chisholm, or if he will have to spend some of the $29,000 he has raised as of January on a real campaign. (Of Chisholm’s war treasury, $19,000 came from himself.) In the City of Milwaukee, Election Commissioner Susan Edmon has an easier time, since there are no city seats up for grabs this cycle. She has her hands full complying with the new State Voter Registration System which is coming into effect. She will be sending an extract of all voter registration to the state later this month. On June 27^th, the city will “go live,” as she puts it, and registration will be on the new state system which has taken some time to get up to speed. [Equation: Computer Programs + State Government = Trouble.] She says by September 12^th, the date of the primary, the city will be fully compliant with requirements that all voting places have machines accessible for the handicapped. – Michael Horne

WHAT NOW?

“The City of Milwaukee is not accepting applications for: ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY” -- from a City of Milwaukee Department of Employee Relations e-mail notification which probably was intended to inform readers that the city is now accepting applications for the job opening(s) paying $50,872 to $120,414 per annum. “Recruitment may continue until the needs of the city are met,” the message ends. – Michael Horne

OFFICER ACCUSED OF MURDER COMMITS SUICIDE

A Milwaukeeworld exclusive

Alfonzo Glover appeared in Milwaukee County Circuit Court this morning to face charges of murder.
The Milwaukee police officer was accused of killing Wilbert Javier Prado in March 2005.
Glover posted his $25,000 bail after his court appearance and has since that time killed himself, by means unknown, police sources tell Milwaukeeworld in this exclusive.
More details will follow.
--Michael Horne