"It's a positive process:" Chief Flynn meets with Fire and Police Commission for his annual review



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn on Thursday, May 21st went before the Fire and Police Commission for his annual review -- his final review before his contract is up in January.

Flynn was appointed chief of police in January of 2008 and again in 2012.

Thursday, Flynn sat down for his eighth review. It lasted about two hours in a closed executive session.

No one will say what was discussed, but Chief Flynn says he's committed to this city.

"It's a positive process. It's certainly no burden to me," Flynn said of his performance review.

His department has faced backlash recently due to a spike in crime and how some incidents like the Christopher Manney case have been handled. Manney is the former Milwaukee police officer who shot and killed Dontre Hamilton in Red Arrow Park in April 2014. Manney was terminated from MPD for his handling of Hamilton that day, and a Fire and Police Commission panel upheld his firing. He is appealing the FPC's ruling.

"We feel he's made some good decisions in the past, but holistically we don't agree with his view on policing," said Curtis Sails, with the Coalition for Justice.

The Coalition for Justice has organized demonstrations over the death of Dontre Hamilton.

The Milwaukee Police Association took at "no confidence vote" on Flynn in October -- indicating they felt he is unfit to continue serving as chief. That was submitted to the Fire and Police Commission for review.

Prior to his performance review on Thursday, Flynn acknowledged a spike in crime in Milwaukee -- saying "we are in a fight with bad guys," and saying he is "not one to give up a fight."

"The homicide increase has been very concerning. We're doing everything we can to turn that around," Flynn said.

Flynn says he's committed to this city.

"The police department is in a good place. It's restrained in use-of-force, it's well thought of, doesn't engage in reckless pursuits and I think it is in many ways a national model," Flynn said.

Chief Flynn says he's built a department that has strong community relationships.

In December 2014, the Milwaukee Police Department accepted the national MetLife Foundation Community - Police Partnership Award for Excellence in Civic Engagement for improving safety in the Washington Park neighborhood, east of Milwaukee's historic Washington Park.

More than 560 police departments and community organizations applied for the recognition, and Milwaukee received a record-setting three of 11 awards. A previous event in October honored award recipients in the Harambee and Riverwest neighborhoods.