Complaint to EEOC Names Jones, 2 Others
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A Milwaukee police lieutenant alleges Police Chief Arthur L. Jones and others have refused him promotions because of his association with whites in the department, according to a complaint filed with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Eric J. Moore has been a lieutenant of detectives since 1998 and a Milwaukee police officer for 23 years. Like everyone mentioned in his complaint, he is African-American.
In the complaint filed last week, Moore stated: “I have been repeatedly denied a promotion to captain despite my being qualified and having more tenure than the selectees. Upper management has made known their biases against me because of (my black) race and association with non-blacks.”
Moore said he’s been documenting the alleged incidences of racial mistreatment against him for more than seven years, based on statements made directly to him and reported to him by others.
“There just came a time when I said to myself, ‘I’ve had enough; I’m not going to lay down and take this anymore,’ ” Moore said in a telephone interview. “You have to stand up to this type of adversity or nothing will change.”
In addition to Jones, who has exclusive authority to promote officers to positions of captain and higher, the complaint names deputy chiefs Leslie Barber and Monica Ray, two of Moore’s former supervisors.
The complaint alleges Jones said he thinks Moore is a “shuffling okey-dokey for the white man type of brother” and that Jones allegedly said that was why he would not promote Moore.
Jones, a mayoral candidate whose term as chief ends next week, did not return calls seeking comment. When approached at his home, he threatened to have a Journal Sentinel reporter arrested.
The complaint accuses Barber of comparing Moore and his former partner in the homicide unit to racially demeaning characters from the “Amos ‘n’ Andy” radio and TV program of the 1920s through ‘50s.
Barber is also accused of saying Moore would never be promoted to captain because he “runs around here talking to those damn white people.”
Barber said Monday he was not aware of Moore’s allegations. “I have no other comment because it’s not healthy for me to feed into all this,” Barber said, although he did call Moore a “blatant liar”.
The complaint accuses Ray of saying, “Don’t be a court jester like Eric Moore and be entertainment for these white folks. Eric be running around here shucking and jiving, skinning and grinning in these white folks’ faces and he should realize . . . they really don’t like his ass.”
Ray did not return calls seeking comment.