An internal affairs investigation is underway surrounding a controversial critical missing alert issued for a man who also had an open arrest warrant.The 12 News reporting on the Oct. 31 critical missing alert for James Davis highlighted public skepticism about the police approach to find Davis, who was also wanted in a domestic violence investigation. 12 News Investigates discovered the existence of the internal affairs investigation when Milwaukee police denied a public records request seeking specific records based on the Milwaukee Police Department Standard Operating Procedures for critical missing cases."At this time, the record that you have requested is the subject of a pending investigation within the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) Internal Affairs Division (IAD)," multiple letters from a police sergeant to 12 News Investigates noted.The Oct. 31 alert, sent to news outlets from the Milwaukee Police Department Sensitive Crimes Division, initially sought help from the public in locating James Davis. But in an unusual move, the department provided a mugshot for Davis, when it generally sends family photos to the news organizations.While seeking clarification on why Davis, 26, was considered critically missing and why there was not an alternate photo provided, 12 News Investigates discovered a man with the same name and similar description as the critical missing alert had an open warrant in a domestic violence investigation at the same time police listed Davis as missing, according to Milwaukee County Circuit Court records. "This a lie I'm not missing they trying to lock me up for something I didn't do or know about it's crazy please forward this man the police is not what y'all thinking," a Facebook user claiming to be Davis posted on the linked article about the alert on the 12 News Facebook page. The user did not respond to a request to provide evidence of their claims police were not being forthright about the investigation.Still, several people were skeptical of the police account and suggested the department was misusing the critical missing alert program."So this is how MPD Use the public's help to find fugitives, missed court dates and child support owners," one Facebook user asked. "I just found out this is another way for to get you in custody," another user wrote.A police spokesperson contends the alert system was not misused."I do not think that we overextend our usage of critical missing alerts that I would hope the media would provide their assistance," the spokesperson wrote in an email.Responding to 12 News effort to get further clarification and context of how the missing person's case developed, police were initially reluctant to explain why Davis received the critical missing classification. Eventually, a spokesperson said Davis had been suffering from a mental health crisis. That context, however, was not included in the initial alert from the Sensitive Crimes Division.A subsequent email confirmed Davis had been arrested the morning after the alert was issued. “MPD Officers located him, he was evaluated for his mental health crisis and then arrested for his outstanding warrants.” Jail records obtained by 12 News Investigates, which detail Davis' arrest, made no mention of a mental health crisis or evaluation. According to the records, two officers spotted Davis in the passenger seat of a vehicle near 87th and Lisbon. As Davis got out of the vehicle, the document said, an officer visually confirmed his identity."Davis was arrested for the above listed warrants and conveyed to District 7 for processing," an officer wrote in the document.Additional police blotter at District 7 said Davis was arrested for warrants/bail-jumping. Davis, according to a criminal complaint filed Sept. 20, Davis punched a former girlfriend in the face after the woman refused to let him smoke marijuana in her home. He's being held on a $5,000 bond in the case, records show.The case raised questions about the intersection of missing persons investigations and the efforts by police investigators to find individuals who are also suspected of committing crimes.The alert, which sought help from the public, now has the attention of internal affairs investigators. The scope of the probe was not immediately clear.