Alderman Donovan issues subpoena to police chief

Milwaukee Alderman Bob Donovan, chair of the Common Council’s Public Safety Committee, issued a subpoena today to Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn, demanding that he provide correspondence – including e-mails – from current and former MPD officials pertaining to the troubled OpenSky digital police radio system.
Donovan said he respects Flynn, but he “simply cannot ignore the blatant disregard” for the sweeping open records request issued in October. “I consider Chief Flynn a friend, but at the same time I cannot let him or anyone disrespect this office and an official and lawful open records request made by the chair of the Public Safety Committee,” Donovan said.
“No one is above the law,” Donovan said.
In an OpenSky related move, Alderman Donovan said he will be asking Mayor Tom Barrett to join him in requesting that Chief Flynn put together a proposal (and report back to the Public Safety Committee) for providing real-time MPD radio dispatch audio to Milwaukee news media outlets. He says the issue is timely in the wake of last week’s events at Bradley Tech High School, where a gang fight led to nearly 20 arrests, the confiscation of a rifle and a fake handgun and a need to have more than 80 MPD squads patrol near the school over a three-day period.
– BizTimes Milwaukee