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Former Madison Police Chief Noble Wray To Review State Report On Jacob Blake Shooting

Chuck Quirmbach
Former Madison Police Chief Noble Wray speaks during a press briefing Monday. Wray will review the upcoming state report on the Jacob Blake shooting.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice report on the Jacob Blake shooting in Kenosha isn't done yet and won't be released until a newly hired consultant reviews it. 

After Kenosha police officer Rusten Sheskey severely wounded Blake on Aug. 23, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul gave the impression that the Division of Criminal Investigation would release its review of the shooting within 30 days. Kaul told the news media Monday night that the "vast majority" of the review is done. But, when complete, the report will go to former Madison Police Chief Noble Wray for analysis. 

Kaul says Kenosha County District Attorney Mike Gravely made the request for a reviewer. Kaul says he considered several people, but Wray came out on top.

“[Wray] brings experience as an officer who was in the field. He brings experience as an assistant chief who was there when decisions were made about use of force. He brings experience as a chief who was there when decisions were made about use of force, and he served as a police reform specialist during the Obama administration,” Kaul said.

Credit Chuck Quirmbach
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul says Noble Wray "brings experience as a chief who was there when decisions were made about use of force."

Wray retired as Madison's police chief in 2013, not long after he led a probe of one of his officers who fatally shot a local resident. Wray found the officer had committed dozens of infractions before the shooting, and the officer eventually resigned ahead of being fired. 

That case was controversial, but Wray told reporters he doesn't think his credibility was damaged.

"Absolutely not! You can't be a chief of police for 10 years and not have questions come up about some of the things you have done. All throughout my career, I have taken things that were controversial or not controversial, and I've looked back at it as lessons learned,” Wray said.

Wray says he's been "part of" officer-involved shootings for nearly 30 years and has always asked himself how he could have done better.

Wray won't say how much he'll be paid for the review of the Blake case or when he'll be finished. Depending on what the state report says, Gravely could issue criminal charges.

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