Following Ferguson decision, Chief Flynn's impassioned rebuke of misinformed protesters goes viral



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The fallout from a grand jury decision out of Ferguson that there's no probable cause to indict Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown has brought national attention to Milwaukee's top law enforcement officials. Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke and Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn have different messages on the incident.

At a Fire and Police Commission meeting earlier this month concerning the case of former Milwaukee police officer Christopher Manney, who shot and killed 31-year-old Dontre Hamilton -- an unarmed African-American man in Red Arrow Park in downtown Milwaukee, Chief Flynn was shouted down for checking his cell phone.

"Well I was on my phone -- and yes that's true.  I was following developments with a five-year-old little girl who was sitting on her dad's lap who just got shot in the head by a drive-by shooting," Chief Flynn said following that Fire and Police Commission meeting.

Chief Flynn's impassioned rebuke of misinformed protesters was already getting attention, but after the Ferguson decision, those pointed comments reached a much wider audience.

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Speaking on FOX News on Wednesday morning, November 26th, Chief Flynn said even though protesters attract attention, it's what you don't see that is having a bigger impact.

"You'd never know the number of community partners we have -- authentic community leaders who everyday are trying to do something about crime and disorder in their neighborhoods," Chief Flynn said.

In his widely seen remarks, Chief Flynn made several points. One in particular seems to resonate on the streets of Milwaukee.

"80 percent of my homicide victims very year are African-American. They know all about the last three people who have been killed by the Milwaukee Police Department over the last several years, but the there's not one of them who can name one of the last three homicide victims we've had in this city," Chief Flynn said.

"I agree with what he said, that it's bigger than just an isolated event.  We pick and choose the things we want to point out. Even in the world today, there's a lot more black-on-black crime than white-on-black.  We have to stop doing it to each other before we tell somebody else to stop doing it," Greg Pegus said.

"We have to take personal responsibility for our actions in those situations as well," Cliffton Solomon said.

Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke has also been in the national spotlight following the Ferguson decision -- appearing on FOX News to criticize President Obama.





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