Nate Hamilton says federal DOJ probe into MPD is not enough: "We need real change"
MILWAUKEE -- A news conference has been scheduled for Thursday, December 17th -- and members of the United States Department of Justice will announce the launch of a "collaborative reform process" with the Milwaukee Police Department. MPD officials asked the feds to investigate the department, and that request has been accepted. Milwaukee now becomes one of nine departments in the country where this will happen.
Nate Hamilton
Nate Hamilton, the brother of Dontre Hamilton, who was shot and killed in April 2014 by a former Milwaukee police officer, and the Coalition for Justice say this isn't enough.
Hamilton is asking for a deeper investigation -- and more transparency when it comes to MPD and the community.
"We need real direct action. We need real change," Nate Hamilton said. "We need accountability."
For more than a year, Nate Hamilton and members of the Coalition for Justice have asked for a federal "patterns and practices" investigation into the Milwaukee Police Department.
Dontre Hamilton and Christopher Manney
"The Department of Justice needs to hold them accountable for the things they have not done," Hamilton said.
In April, Hamilton's brother was shot and killed by former Milwaukee Police Officer Christopher Manney.
Manney was never charged on the state level, and in November, the Department of Justice announced Manney wouldn't be charged federally.
Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn
The same day that decision came down, Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn invited the DOJ to do a review of MPD.
"We are certainly open to those suggestions that may arise from an evaluation from our efforts," Chief Flynn said.
On Tuesday, the Department of Justice announced the news conference set for Thursday, when DOJ officials will announce a "collaborative reform process" with the Milwaukee Police Department.
A statement from the Department of Justice says:
The Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services developed the Collaborative Reform Initiative for Technical Assistance in 2011 as an independent and objective way to transform a law enforcement agency through an analysis of policies, practices, training, tactics and accountability methods around key issues facing law enforcement today.
"They`re going to look at the practices we have here and the best practices nationally and they`re going to compare them and see if there are places where we are not up to the standards we expect to be," Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said.
But Nate Hamilton says it's not enough. He's hoping for community involvement and transparency along the way.
"If they can't do that, then we will result to other things," Hamilton said.
The Coalition for Justice has scheduled a news conference for Thursday as well.
Monitor FOX6 News and FOX6Now.com for updates on this developing story.