Milwaukee police have launched an internal investigation into how department staff handled documents and recordings tied to a complaint against Wisconsin Center District CEO Marty Brooks. The inquiry follows the release of a police report and audio connected to a November allegation by Milwaukee Common Council President José Pérez, and comes on the heels of a staffing shakeup at the county district attorney’s office. The department is treating the matter as an internal review under its Internal Affairs Division.
MPD's internal probe
In a letter responding to records requests, the department told a requester that the materials were “the subject of a pending Internal Affairs Division investigation” and rejected one petition as a request for information rather than records, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The paper obtained the letter amid a back-and-forth over access to the report and related recordings. The move has effectively put a pause on further public disclosure while MPD’s review plays out.
DA staffer resigns after leak
Chief Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Altenburg told reporters that an internal review found a then-employee improperly shared the names of parties involved in the referral, and that the staffer has since resigned. Altenburg also said the office's case-management safeguards prevented broader access to sensitive details, according to local reporting. The departure has raised fresh questions about how confidential case information moves between agencies and the press.
What police reports show
Records released to local outlets show Pérez told detectives he felt a sharp pinch, then called Brooks to confront him about it. During that call, Pérez said he was “disappointed” with Brooks, and Brooks replied, “I did not do that,” according to WTMJ. A witness told detectives she saw Brooks' hand move toward Pérez’s buttock but said she could not conclusively see whether contact was made. Police investigated the allegation as a fourth-degree sexual assault before prosecutors declined to pursue charges.
Prosecutors declined to press charges
Milwaukee County prosecutors reviewed the case and concluded they could not prove the elements required for a fourth-degree sexual assault, including sexual gratification or humiliation, so they did not file charges, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Brooks has denied the allegation and has said he cooperated with the district attorney's review while remaining in his Wisconsin Center District role. The DA's internal probe into the leak and the MPD inquiry into records handling are now unfolding on parallel tracks.
Transparency and privacy tensions
The episode highlights what local outlets and officials describe as a long-running tension between transparency and protecting complainants' privacy when high-profile figures are involved, WISN reported. Wisconsin's public records laws lean toward disclosure, but the timing and scope of what gets released can heavily influence public perception and the reputations of those named. Observers say MPD's internal review will be closely watched for how the department walks the line between openness and confidentiality.
What’s next
MPD's Internal Affairs Division will determine whether department policy was violated and whether any staff members face discipline, while the Wisconsin Center District board and outside lawyers weigh possible employment or civil steps, local outlets report. For now, the overlapping inquiries leave open who had access to the materials and whether more records disputes or legal challenges are coming, and they spotlight how a single sensitive investigation can send ripples through Milwaukee's civic institutions, per FOX6.
