GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Green Bay’s Protection and Policy Committee is looking for more answers related to the ongoing audio surveillance issue at city hall. Right now, the audio has been turned off, but the committee indicated a need to learn more.
Three of the four members of Green Bay’s Protection and Policy Committee chose to recommend an internal investigation into audio surveillance in city hall.
“There’s an investigation going, until those investigations are done, we should not be dipping our toes into these waters at all,” Alderperson Randy Scannell said.
“We do need to get involved,” argued Alderperson William Morgan. “Citizens are tired of being mushrooms. They’re tired of being kept in the dark and that B.S.”
The committee amended a request from Green Bay Alderperson Chris Wery which asked for an outside organization to look at the audio surveillance. That request failed to pass after Green Bay Police Chief Chris Davis warned about interfering with an ongoing investigation being conducted by the West Allis Police Department.
“You really — I would strongly advise you to talk to the District Attorney’s office before you go down that road because it gets very complicated,” Davis said.
The new, amended request will allow for an internal agency to conduct an investigation.
“Everything with the city takes forever. I don’t see the harm in asking our staff to get us some more information in the meantime,” Alderperson Jennifer Grant said. “We’re not taking action, opening investigation next week. But I would like to hear from staff what that all entails, what our options are.”
Grant and Morgan said the city government needs to be transparent. Both voted yes, saying another investigation will give more data. But Scannell voted no to both the original and amended request.
“I think it’s dangerous, I think it’s a bad idea, period, even if there weren’t other investigations, but that’s an argument I won’t go into,” Scannell said. “But, certainly, spending money on this — I really question alders wanting to do that.”
The committee also approved a request to consider creating a broad surveillance ordinance and policy. That was first approved by the city’s parks committee. Both recommendations will need to go through the full common council in future meetings.
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