WAUWATOSA, Wis. — Mayor Dennis McBride said he expects protests in his hometown to continue at least until legal issues involving police officer Joseph Mensah are resolved.

The mayor and police chief Barry Weber announced in a news conference Wauwatosa would not institute another curfew after the previous one expired early Monday morning. Police made more than 60 arrests, most for curfew violations, between Wednesday and Sunday during protests following Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisolm’s decision not to charge Mensah for his fatal February shooting of 17-year-old Alvin Cole.

That shooting was Mensah’s third use of deadly force in five years as a Wauwatosa officer. Chief Weber said Mensah, cleared by the D.A., should be allowed to return to the department.

“There has been no reason, up to this point and none that I can see, that he should be removed from the force,” Weber said. “He has acted legally and lawfully in all previous actions that I’m aware of.”

But Mensah’s employment status is out of the chief’s hands. The Wauwatosa Police and Fire Commission will make a decision after a disciplinary trial regarding a citizen complaint against Mensah. McBride said demonstrations will likely continue until that investigation and all subsequent hearings are complete. 

“If they choose to protest, they choose to protest,” McBride said. “We just ask them to stay within the bounds of the law when they do that.”

Last Tuesday, the Wauwatosa Common Council approved a five-year contract worth $762,000 to equip all officers with body cameras. The police department will undergo additional crisis and deescalation training, as well. The mayor said every office in city government will focus on equity work, including implicit bias training, in the next several months. 

“I’m not going to pretend that it’s easy,” McBride said. “We’ve all been traumatized by this. It’s a difficult thing. The community is divided in opinion, but we’re strong in every other way.”