MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman has applied for the chief's job in Austin, Texas, according to multiple reports.
According to a report from the Austin American-Statesman, there are a total of 32 applicants for the position, including Norman.
Norman joined the Milwaukee police force in 1996. He was sworn in as police chief in 2021.
MPD confirmed the news in an emailed statement Tuesday that they "acknowledge that Chief Jeffrey Norman is an applicant for the Austin, Texas Police Chief position," and that his "applicant status has no bearing on the Chief’s commitment to the City of Milwaukee, and the safety and well-being of all residents."
The news caught Milwaukee Police Association President Andrew Wagner a bit off guard.
"Surprised when I heard it but not shocked that he’s looking for other opportunities," said Wagner.
TMJ4 also spoke briefly with Mayor Cavalier Johnson on the possibility of losing Milwaukee's top cop.
"I have no comment on that at this time," said Mayor Johnson. "I have had the opportunity to speak with the chief and will continue to have conversations with him."
During Norman's time at the helm, homicides have dropped by 40% since its peak in 2022 according to MPD data.
Norman has also been active in fostering a strong relationship between the community and policing.
Now, he guides the police department ahead of the Republican National Convention which will take place next month.
Should Norman move on in the process, he would interview in the latter part of July according to a spokesperson for Austin City Communications.
Fred Royal is part of the Milwaukee Community Collaborative Commission which works to improve police and community relations.
He first met Norman back when Milwaukee was looking for a new chief following the demotion of former chief Alfonso Morales.
"I was kind of taken aback because I thought with the new increase in salary and his commitment to community-oriented policing and how close we are at establishing a robust, codified community-oriented policing policy in the city, that he would stay on until that was completed," said Royal.
Royal said Norman's upper leadership had been active in participating at information sessions that CCC has been conducting over the past year and a half.
Those sessions ultimately culminated in in the Wisconsin Policy Forum commissioning a paper on the process of planning and carrying community-oriented policing policy in place according to Royal.
TMJ4 asked if losing Norman would be a big loss to the city.
"Oh, definitely," said Royal. "I think he’s like I said done a very good job improving police-community relations have been strained over the past years and I think that he does have a good insight on what community-oriented policing is all about."
The Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Oppression also released a statement on the police chief considering a new position down south.
Earlier today, news was published indicating that Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman was among the applicants to the Police Chief position in Austin, Texas. While we don’t want to speculate as to why Norman is possibly looking for a way out of Milwaukee, it unfortunately highlights a troubling pattern of rotating leadership in the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD).
It is not breaking news that issues inside MPD have negatively impacted Milwaukee over the past several decades. From the countless police murders of Milwaukee residents to the constant and violent surveillance of Black and Brown neighborhoods, it’s obvious to the people of Milwaukee that MPD cannot simply be fixed by one individual.
Whether Norman stays in Milwaukee or departs and we get a new Police Chief, the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression will continue fighting back against police crimes in our city. We recognize that in order to solve the various issues in Milwaukee, including the MPD, we must have community control over the police. Without community control, the MPD will continue operating recklessly in our city, swallowing its budget and endangering its residents.
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