#Over 100 police agencies pull out of Democratic convention

More than 100 police agencies will no longer send personnel to boost security measures at next month’s Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee — partly over concerns about a recent directive ordering city cops not to use tear gas to control crowds.

The Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission, a citizen oversight commission, last week ordered the city’s police chief to publicly account for why the police department used tear gas in late May and early June during protests over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

That order also directed the department to change its policies to ban the use of tear gas and pepper spray — and that Milwaukee’s police chief Alfonso Morales could be fired if he does not comply.

Morales told local outlet WTMJ-TV that many agencies are concerned about the new order.

“When you rule an unlawful assembly to help break up that crowd, once we deem them unruly, that’s a safe manner in doing so. Not having those tools increases the potential for more violence,” he said. “That’s a big concern for the law enforcement community within Milwaukee and outside of Milwaukee.”

Local police departments in West Allis, Fond du Lac and Franklin — which were going to send 30 officers in total — withdrew for that reason, according to the report.

“We respect the FPC’s decision making authority but we strongly disagree with the actions that they’ve taken,” Fond du Lac Chief William Lamb said in a statement obtained by the outlet.

“We believe that removing those tools from the available resources for law enforcement officers to use if protests become non-peaceful will severely compromise the safety of the public but also the men and women who will be called upon to protect the DNC.”

The convention, set for Aug. 17 to 20 at the Wisconsin Center in downtown Milwaukee, has been scaled down to a mostly virtual event, with only about 300 people expected to attend in-person.

Former Vice President Joe Biden has said he will be present to accept the nomination.

Though the convention will be smaller in size, cops said they are preparing for the possibility of large-scale protests.

Morales told the local station he’s not ruling out getting help from the National Guard or the federal government.

“Those will be options and those options are still at the table,” he said.

In a statement obtained by The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, local police said the department’s “top priority remains to ensure that next month’s DNC is a safe event for all visitors and participants.”