Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley is facing scrutiny over his jail communications program after repeated allegations of victim harassment and witness intimidation.
On October 9, Crowley ordered the Community Reintegration Center to disable tablet messaging until officials develop stronger protections. Four days later, the independently elected sheriff suspended messaging at the Milwaukee County Jail. Neither action eliminates the tablets themselves, which can still be used for approved educational, legal and entertainment purposes.
In August, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge David Borowski criticized the availability of electronic devices to defendants after prosecutors alleged that Thomas Zollicoffer, charged with three homicides, used a jail-issued device to discuss intimidating witnesses. The prosecutors sought restrictions on his communications, which the judge granted. (RELATED: Generac Settles EEOC Case Over Employee’s Religious Accommodation Request)
This was not just an isolated incident, this is regularly occurring in David Crowley’s Milwaukee. Prosecutors accused Damian Cosme-Torres of repeatedly contacting a domestic violence victim through jail phones and tablet messaging despite restrictions. The report documented more than 2,400 contact attempts. In another case, prosecutors said Amier Jones Jr. attempted more than 1,500 phone calls to a victim and sent threatening tablet messages.
Another investigation contained allegations involving Kahnye Ali-Powells, who prosecutors say sent 164 tablet messages to a woman he was accused of assaulting. The messages allegedly continued between July and September despite an existing no-contact order. A judge revoked his communication privileges on October 2nd.
Crowley approved the communications contract in 2022, and then signed its three year extension in 2025. In an October 12 interview, he acknowledged that safeguards were not working. His suspension required months of reported incidents and growing criticism from Republican gubernatorial opponent Tom Tiffany, in order for him to pull back. (RELATED: Cooke, Van Orden Clash Over Canceled Debate)
The Crowley administration is now working with the vendor, ICSolutions, to strengthen safeguards, but officials have not announced a firm timeline for restoring messaging. Crowley’s response appears to be more reactive, especially in his political situation, rather than preventative with proper restrictions being added only after numerous threats to the public.
