Milwaukee’s top officer was demoted on Thursday after being questioned on his handling of the police response to local protests.
City Police Chief Alfonso Morales came under fire by an oversight board for deploying tear gas and pepper spray on activists who were protesting the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody.
In a unanimous vote by the Fire and Police Commission, Morales was demoted to captain after serving three and a half years as chief, according to the Associated Press.
The commission often questioned how the department policed black communities under his leadership, according to the report.
His decision to use tear gas and pepper spray on protesters was met with criticism by the commission and the city’s Democratic Mayor Tom Barrett. In July, the commission banned the department from using tear gas.
“His conduct is unbecoming, filled with ethical lapses and flawed decisions, making it inconsistent with someone who has the privilege of leading the Milwaukee Police Department,” Commissioner Raymond Robakowski said.
Morales has been with the city’s department since 1993 and was appointed chief in 2018. He will be replaced by the city’s assistant police chief, who will take over the role in the interim.
