Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, who met with President-elect Donald Trump on Monday, as a possible nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security is under fire again for comments he has made about Milwaukee County Supervisor Supreme Moore Omokunde and Milwaukee County Chief Medical examiner, Brian Peterson.
Since April, there have been four deaths at the Milwaukee County jail and Clarke hasn’t said much regarding them, but he continues to berate those who call him out on his and his corrections officers inaction that led to the deaths.
Milwaukee County Supervisor Supreme Moore Omokunde, released a statement saying Clarke should resign before more people die.
“Media reports and the statements of witnesses indicate that at least three of the deaths appear to have occurred as a result of actions or inaction by Sheriff Clarke’s corrections officers. Yet not a single officer has been disciplined, and Sheriff Clarke remains silent. This is totally unacceptable,” Moore Omokunde said.
“Accountability starts at the top. Sheriff Clarke has failed to establish a culture of professionalism, has failed to call for independent investigations when warranted, and he has abdicated his responsibility to hold his officers accountable for their actions or lack of action. He should resign immediately,” he added.
TODAY’s TMJ4 reported that Clarke’s office responded to Supervisor Moore Omokunde saying, “Supervisor who? That sounds like some character in a science fiction comic book and he’s upset that I helped Donald J. Trump get elected POTUS.”
The Sheriff’s office never responded to the four deaths in the county jail. But the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting that Clarke “threatened” medical examiner Brian Peterson on Oct. 28. Peterson released information to the public regarding the deaths in the jail, blaming the corrections officers actions.
“I haven’t been talked to like that since I was probably 5,” Peterson said in an interview.
Peterson documented the hostile 20-minute conversation a day later in a lengthy email to Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, Abele’s chief of staff and Clarke. The county exec appoints the medical examiner with the consent of the Milwaukee County Board.
For more on Clarke’s comments, visit Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
