UW-Milwaukee's police chief removed from his post

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Michael Marzion has been removed as Chief of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Police Department -- effective Tuesday, August 26th.  The action is the result of an investigation into communications Marzion had with a UWM student earlier this year.

Because of the rules governing Classified Service employees, Marzion will now return to the position of Police Captain in the department, a job he held prior to being appointed Chief.  However, Marzion will remain on administrative leave while the university considers additional actions.

Marzion was placed on administrative leave in June.

Marzion is accused of exchanging messages of a sexual nature with a female student back in April. That student filed a complaint -- saying their talk was "weird" and "not quite right."

An independent investigator ruled Marzion didn't harass the woman, but displayed "inappropriate and unprofessional" conduct.

Marzion was then placed on administrative leave -- until additional action was taken against him on Tuesday.

"The university made the decision that it was in the best interest of the campus to remove the Chief and move him in a different direction," Tom Luljak, UW-Milwaukee Vice Chancellor of University Relations and Communications said.

Marzion will remain with the UW-Milwaukee Police Department for now, but his title has changed.

"Under the rules governing Classified Service, and that`s the category that our police department falls under, the Chief, now that he has been removed from his position as Chief, is entitled to go to his backup position which is Police Captain," Luljak said.

Luljak says Marzion will remain on administrative leave with pay while the university takes time to consider further action.

"We`re taking a look at what his scope of work or what his role will be going forward here on the campus. We`re not discussing any detail of what the next step might be, other than to say we`re reviewing possible actions going forward," Luljak said.

Gregory Habeck, who has been serving UWM as Assistant Chief and leading the department during Marzion's administrative leave, will now serve as the Interim Police Chief for UWM.

Monitor FOX6 News and FOX6Now.com for updates on this developing story.

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