MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission panel ruled that former Milwaukee Police Officer Christopher Manney violated MPD policy in patting down 31-year-old Dontre Hamilton in Red Arrow Park last April. That pat down preceded Manney’s fatal shooting of Hamilton. The panel then ruled Manney should remain permanently discharged from the Milwaukee Police Department — unanimously upholding Manney’s firing.
Late Monday, in phase two, the commissioners ruled that Chief Flynn’s firing of Manney was appropriate and justified. Dontre Hamilton’s family members addressed the media and said the panel made a decision they are happy with. Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn testified during the panel review.
“In this set of circumstances, the employee’s blunders created a chain of events which you’re well aware of that would ultimately end up in a use of deadly force and a death,” Chief Flynn said.
The following witnesses testified briefly before the Fire and Police Commission panel again went into closed session to deliberate phase two of this hearing:
MPD Lt. Kenneth Harris
MPD Sgt. Jeffery Intonen
MPD Lt. Philander Hanyard
After testimony, it was announced that the commissioners, in a unanimous decision, upheld Manney’s permanent discharge from the Milwaukee Police Department. He will not get his job back.
“Now – we go to Washington. We’re going to the federal government to tell them we won’t stop. We are going in a month. We have about 200 organizations all around the state that are going to meet us there. We want to live in our communities and feel safe with the police — not afraid to leave their home. We want to call people that are actually going to do their job and protect us, and that’s why we’re going to Washington,” Maria Hamilton said.
