Report found 200 current officers in the state were fired or forced from previous jobs in law enforcement; “Unacceptable” says Milwaukee Democrat Supreme Moore Omokunde

BY PETER CAMERON

A state legislator cited The Badger Project’s recent investigation on the rehiring of fired law enforcement officers as a reason for reintroducing a bill he says would cut down on the practice.

State Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde, a Democrat from Milwaukee, vented on Twitter earlier this month about The Badger Project’s finding that nearly 200 officers currently working in Wisconsin were fired from previous jobs in law enforcement.

“This news is simply unacceptable and a major reason as to why I am introducing legislation that decertifies so-called “bad apples” in law enforcement,” he wrote on the social media platform with a link to the story. “The first step towards any meaningful criminal justice improvements requires trust and good faith.”

Omokunde said his bill would prevent officers who violate a use-of-force policy from returning to work in the field by taking away their state-issued law enforcement certification. The bill would also decertify law enforcement officers who quit while under investigation for misconduct, and ban them for regaining their certification, he wrote.

The Assemblyman initially introduced the bill in June. It has no Republican co-sponsors, meaning it is unlikely to advance in the GOP-controlled legislature.

The Badger Project partnered on the investigation with Wisconsin Watch, which distributed the story to news organizations across the state and country.

Omokunde is the son of U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee).

The Badger Project is a nonpartisan, citizen-supported journalism nonprofit in Wisconsin.