Milwaukee Police Chief files suit alleging bias

Milwaukee Police Chief Arthur Jones recently filed what is believed to be the first-ever racial discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) by a sitting police chief.

Jones, 56, the city's first Black police chief, charges city leaders ignored his complaints, forcing him to go to the EEOC as a last resort to argue that he faces a hostile working environment.

"People say I play the race card, but it's real," he said. "When I joined this police department, there was no one in the African-American community--or any other color--or females in the command staff of this police department. It was all White males."

The mayor's office says the fight is about poor policing. Milwaukee's murder rate is largely unchanged since Jones took office in 1996 while other cities have seen dramatic drops in crime.

"The mayor does see that policing activity has helped in those communities and would like to see a similar effort here," said Mayor John Norquist's spokesman, Steve Filmanowicz.

Jones says Norquist asked him to use "repressive measures" such as stopping cars in mostly Black neighborhoods and seizing guns, which he says violates civil fights.

Alderman Willie Hines, who is Black, says the city holds Jones to. higher standard than his predecessors. He said Jones challenged police department brass and their hiring tactics from day one.

"He has challenged the department as well as the city to embrace all races and all citizens at a time when the city was very reluctant, very unwilling, and very divided," Hines said.

Chief Jones calls the mayor "vindictive" and says Norquist has tried to get the fire and police commission--the only body that can fire the chief to oust him.

Jones said he's not giving up. He said he'll continue to keep logs of promotion by race and gender to diversify the top brass. He also said he intends to reapply for his job when his term is up next year.