Fire & Police Commission to review Schoen re-instatement decision

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Police Officer Richard Schoen was suspended for 60 days by the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission earlier this week. This, after Schoen was caught on squad car dashcam video punching a female suspect in the face. Schoen was fired by Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn, but the Commission chose to reinstate Schoen. Now, there's a new push for punishment for Schoen.

After dozens showed up at a Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission meeting held Thursday, December 6th, upset over the Commission's ruling in the Schoen case, the Commission has decided to put the decision up for review. The Commission hasn't elaborated on what that review could entail, but did not rule out the possibility of voting again on the punishment for Schoen.

The public backlash came after Schoen was seen on dashcam video punching female suspect Janine Tracy on the head several times while she was handcuffed in the backseat of a squad car. Later, Schoen is seen pulling Tracy out of the squad car by her hair in a police district garage.

Schoen was initially fired, but during an appeal hearing earlier this week, Schoen told a panel of commissioners he feared Tracy was going to bite him or spit on him, and after hearing testimony, commissioners ruled a suspension was appropriate.

Tracy was one of those at Thursday night's Fire and Police Commission meeting -- though she said little. Friends spoke for her.

"Your officers will not continue to beat women from my hood. What inside your body allowed you to say it was okay?" one individual said.

After Thursday's public outcry, Fire and Police Commission Executive Director Michael Tobin said: "The board will reconvene and review the matter again. I'm hoping as I say, this can be re-examined and perhaps there can be a different outcome."

Tobin told FOX6 News he could not remember the last time a review was held on a vote in a situation such as the Schoen case. An authority specializing in police brutality echoed that statement.

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