Hafemann takes over House of Correction control

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Superintendent Michael Hafemann assumed control of Milwaukee County’s House of Correction early Tuesday morning.

The transfer occurred at midnight, according to an email attributed to Brendan Conway, County Executive Chris Abele’s director of communications.

The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors confirmed Hafemann as superintendent at a special meeting Monday. Hafemann has served as interim superintendent since March.

Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke Jr. had controlled the HOC since 2009. The County Board used the 2013 budget to show its desire to install a superintendent based on concerns that programming, such as release on electronic monitoring, was not being offered. The board gave Clarke control of the HOC through the 2009 budget based on operations problems with then-superintendent Ron Malone.

Clarke sued the county in December to attempt to retain control of the HOC, claiming it is a jail. Under state statute, either a sheriff or a superintendent can oversee a house of correction but only a sheriff may oversee a jail.

Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Paul Van Grunsven dismissed the lawsuit Wednesday. Clarke’s attorney, Michael Whitcomb, began his appeal Monday.

Hafemann did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and a request for comment from the Office of the Sheriff was not immediately returned.

• The county’s jail, County Correctional Facility Central, also has a new commander. Clarke gave Capt. Thomas Meverden, who was previously in the training division, oversight of the jail Friday, according to Capt. Scott Stiff, who refused to comment further. Deputy Inspector Kevin Nyklewicz, the previous commander, was transferred to the sheriff’s Administrative Services Bureau.