MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee's Common Council voted on Tuesday to override a previous veto by the Mayor and reaffirm its desire to have the authority to fire a sitting police or fire chief.
The council previously voted 8-6 to request authority from the state to be able to terminate the city's police or fire chief with a 2/3 majority vote.
Right now, that duty rests with Milwaukee's Fire and Police Commission.
The vote came about after some members of the council said MPD Chief Edward Flynn had not been listening to their concerns or making himself accessible to aldermen.
Mayor Tom Barrett called the vote politically motivated and immediately vetoed it.
On Tuesday morning, the council voted 10-5 to override the veto.
"I believe we need to go in a new direction," said South Side Alderman Bob Donovan before the vote.
Donovan said he believes Flynn has lost the confidence of MPD's "rank and file."
Following the vote, Barrett said he continues to oppose the council's decision.
"I'm disappointed by the actions taken by the council this morning," Barrett said.
"This adds fuel to the fire of those who are attacking the Fire and Police Commission at the state (capitol)," the Mayor added.
Barrett said he still believes Flynn has the support of the public.
The Aldermen who voted against the proposal were: Cavalier Johnson, Terry Witkowski, Jim Bohl, Milele Coggs, and Michael Murphy.
