Ed Flynn Promotes Lt. Edith Hudson

It wasn't that long ago that Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn had to undo what Lt. Edith Hudson did.

When state Senator Lena Taylor received a traffic ticket, she became very irate.

Daniel Bice writes:

Here is what Officer Seann Cleveland wrote in abbreviated fashion on the ticket:

"We both observed the listed veh cross to the left of the double solid yellow line and into the N/B lane. The veh continue driving S/B passing several vehicles so she could make a left hand turn into the drive way of 1018 N. 35th St. It should be noted this was just north of W. State St., which is a very busy intersection."

Cleveland described Taylor as "very irate" after she was stopped.

"(Taylor) stated . . . we 'shouldn't waste our energy for the stop and she can't be expected to wait for the light,' " the officer wrote. "Taylor was very argumentative and appeared her intent was to provoke an argument w/ us officers."

If you hadn't gotten the picture already, Cleveland wrote that the 42-year-old pol was "very argumentative" once again after she received the ticket for driving on the wrong side of the center line. The ticket was for $121.60 and could count four points on her license.

Taylor complained about the ticket, contacting officials at the 3rd District headquarters.

Acting Capt. Edith Hudson rescinded Taylor's ticket.

Flynn declined to be interviewed on the matter but he issued a statement.

In it, he said he first learned of the situation when notified by Assistant Chief Gregory Habeck. Hudson had given Habeck a report detailing her decision to let Taylor off the hook.

The assistant chief reviewed the report and concluded that Hudson's action "did not appear to be consistent with department policy," the statement said. After reading her report and department policy, the statement continued, "the Chief concurred with Assistant Chief Habeck's assessment."

Flynn did not say specifically how Hudson erred.

Hudson admits that politics played a factor in rescinding Taylor's ticket.

"I weighed a variety of factors and considered the immediate and long-term effects that this incident will have upon the Milwaukee Police Department as a whole and our relationship with our community stakeholders," wrote Acting Capt. Edith Hudson in an internal MPD report.

Read more details from Hudson's report.

Flynn says that Hudson didn't follow proper procedures in dropping the ticket.

No kidding. I would hope that a politician becoming irate and throwing her weight around isn't reason to let her off the hook with a warning.

What Hudson did was clearly wrong. It was a real embarrassment, but Flynn did set things straight by reinstating the ticket. Still, it was very bad PR for the MPD.

What doesn't make sense is that Flynn has decided to give Hudson a promotion.

Daniel Bice writes:

Police Chief Edward Flynn kept his word that he wouldn't punish Lt. Edith Hudson for tossing a traffic ticket against state Sen. Lena Taylor for political reasons.

But who would have expected the chief to hand her a promotion?

Flynn is nominating Hudson and four others to be Milwaukee Police Department captains. The city Fire and Police Commission will vote on the recommendations at its March 19 meeting.

Hudson, a 17-year veteran, would get a $3,000 pay increase to $78,430 per year.

I think it's a bit soon for Flynn to be nominating Hudson to be a captain after her very public lapse in judgment and integrity.

The Lena Taylor ticket episode was no small thing.

Hudson was willing to let Taylor be above the law and the community knows it.

Does Flynn really want to promote Hudson while that stench of corruption is still in the air?

That's not right. It's poor judgment on Flynn's part. The promotion should wait.

Isn't there some other individual worthy of promotion, one without Hudson's baggage?

Maybe not. If that's the case, that's pretty bad.