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Vol. 34 • No. 12 • Thurs., March 26, 2015 - Wed., April 1, 2015 • An NCON Publication Serving The Milwaukee Area • 65¢
Fire and Police Commission sustains Manney’s firing By Steve Waring Special to the Milwaukee Times (Part 1 of a 3-part series) A three-panel jury consisting of members of the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission upheld Police Chief Edward Flynn’s decision to fire Christopher Manney after the 12-year, decorated veteran shot and killed Dontre Hamilton, a 31-year-old African American man after a ‘pat down’ search of Hamilton escalated into a physical altercation at Red Arrow Park on April 30, 2014. The hearing was the first test of a new more stringent Milwaukee Police Dept. policy on so-called ‘pat down’ searches and also the first test of a process that includes more civilian oversight of police disciplinary decisions. During the unprecedented five-day hearing lawyers for Manney, 38, noted that during more than 12 years of
service, the former officer had accumulated just one minor infraction (missing a court date) while earning a Lifesaving Award as well as numerous other commendations. He had also removed more than 50 illegally concealed weapons during previous searches that were considered justifiable. However a few months before the fatal encounter with Hamilton, the Milwaukee Police Dept., adopted a more stringent policy before an officer could initiate a so-called ‘pat down’ search of outer garments. Previously an officer need only notice a bulge in clothing or have a suspicion that the subject was carrying a weapon in order to initiate a search. Under the more stringent policy modified in June 2013, an officer must notice a weapon and have a reasonable fear that the subject intends to use it against either the officer or someone else. Profiling of
Photo By Steve Waring
any kind, including homelessness, as was alleged in the citizen complaint against Hamilton, are prohibited. Another policy change made in January 2014 modified the policy that Milwaukee police officers are to use when approaching subjects for questioning. Manney was justified in using deadly force, but was fired for violating the
Alderman Hamilton outlines need for safe zone initiative
First District Alderman Ashanti Hamilton, along with community residents, held a press conference on March 20, 2015, in the Garden Homes area, to announce the launching of “Promise Zones,” an initiative aimed at combatting violence, crime, unemployment and abandoned homes in distressed neighborhoods in the City of Milwaukee. Other elected officials present for the announcement were : Alderman Russell Stamper and Milwaukee County Board Supervisor Khalif Rainey. Khalil Coleman (center) of Peace for Change is addressing the media.
it alone,” Alderman Hamilton said. “MPD has repeatedly called on community members to take a more active role in stabilizing their neighborhoods, and in our most challenged areas, unfortunately there are few residents willing to answer that call.” In an effort to change that, Alderman Hamilton is working with Khalil Coleman, Shawn Moore, Muhammad Mosque #3, New Hope Baptist Church, Northwest Side Community Development Corp., the Garden Homes Neighborhood Association, Peace for Change Alliance, True Strength Group Milwaukee, We Got This, I Will
(Continued next week)
Irene Goggans to receive honorary degree from UWM
Photo by Robert Bell
"In the first three months of 2015, Milwaukee has already racked up 28 homicides. At this time last year, the city had tallied 11 homicides," Alderman Ashanti Hamilton said at a media event held Friday, March 20, 2015. The neighborhoods experiencing the intense level of violence and criminal activity this year are also the same neighborhoods plagued by foreclosures, high unemployment, failing schools and general disorder. “The Milwaukee Police Department has been working hard to fight crime throughout the city, but as we all know, they cannot do
new policies on approaching subjects and justification for initiating a ‘pat down’. Ironically Hamilton was neither homeless nor armed. He was previously diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia, according to his family. There have been a number of delays in the hearing. Manning was officially fired Oct. 15, 2014, but the date for the
appeal seemed to keep receding into the distant future. The Hamilton family, in cooperation with the Coalition for Justice, began to organize numerous protest marches first seeking to have the officer fired and then to hold the public hearing. The shooting tapped into fears many African Americans have that police are more likely to shoot and kill black suspects than white ones. Several high profile shootings or deaths while in police custody have occurred nationally within the past year. After the commission members upheld the decision to fire Manney, several members of the Hamilton family, including Dontre’s mother, Maria, thanked their supporters and promised to expand their movement to hold police accountable for wrongful deaths of African Americans.
Not Die Young campaign, Crossing Jordan Ministries, Alpha and Omega Ministries, the Coalition of Hope and the Universal Companies to build a coalition to address the void in what he calls “our community organizing strategy.” Coleman, Moore, and their partners have designed an approach that is similar to the Interrupters model that has worked in other cities called H.O.O.D. Ambassadors (Helping Others Obtain Direction). H.O.O.D. will operate the Safe Zones across certain neighborhoods where crime, violence and disorder are prevalent, the alderman said.
As an archivist, historian, and griot, Irene Goggans has a passion for recording historical events that affect the lives of others. However, come this May, Ms. Goggans will be making history of her own. On Sunday, May 17, 2015 Irene Bishop Goggans will receive an honorary doctorate from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) at their 2015 commencement ceremony. For the past several months a committee has been working to get the honor bestowed on Ms. Goggans. The committee was comprised of a number of UWM faculty, community, business and religious leaders. "This was a joint effort to 'bring honor where honor is truly deserved'," said Dr. Joan Prince, Vice Chancellor of Global Inclusion and Engagement for UWM. Deserved because Ms. Goggans has truly been an asset to the community. For over 60 years in Milwaukee, Irene has met many people, and has kept records of their accomplishments and happenings. To date, she has collected and assembled more than 300 scrapbooks archiving events, people, places and things pertaining to life in Black Milwaukee.
File Photo
Irene Goggans Much of that work has been called upon by many organizations, who have drawn upon Irene’s expertise as a local historian. She has been a contributor to several programs produced by Milwaukee Public Television; a video presentation paying tribute to local photojournalist Harry Kemp; as a writer and consultant to The Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper for its “Golden Moments” events; and as St. Matthew C.M.E. Church's necrologist. Ms. Goggans received her official congratulatory letter on Monday, March 23, 2015. Ms. Goggans was "shocked, speechless, and humbled at the honor," said Dr. Prince. "The community is so deserving of some good news."