MPD Awards Block Watch Captains And South Side Businesses For Crime Reduction

Chief Flynn credits neighborhood Block Watch programs, residents, local businesses, and police officers in both Districts 2 and 6 for a 12% reduction of crime in the South side

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 10, 2009

Milwaukee -On Wednesday, the City of Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) hosted a "Block Watch Award Ceremony" and reception for both Police Districts 2 and 6. The awards ceremony was held at Aurora Medical Center, Stiemke Auditorium, 2900 W. Oklahoma Ave. where food, and special recognition awards were given to neighborhood Block Watch captains and local businesses. Auxiliary officers were also recognized by Dist. 6 Captain Michael D. Young and Dist. 2 Captain Donald J. Gaglione.
There was a minute of silence in recognition and remembrance for the four fallen Lakewood Police Department Officers in Washington, Sgt. Mark Renninger, Officers Ronald Owens, Tina Griswold and Greg Richards.
More than 150 people filled Stiemke Auditorium for the event. Both Mayor Tom Barrett and MPD Chief Edward A. Flynn gave a personal thank you and appreciation to all the Block Watch captains, and businesses. "People like yourself sharing information with officers, by reporting crimes and suspicious activity has helped us prevent crime, so that we can continue to make our neighborhoods safe. Thank you for your support," Chief Flynn said. Flynn also thanked the women and men in blue for working in a united and collaborating effort with neighborhood residents and businesses resulting in a 12% reduction of crime in the near South side.
Both Mayor Barrett and Chief Flynn had prior commitments and couldn't be present at the awards ceremony, but had their video address played to residents.
"The awards tonight are for community involvement and we are also grateful to Auxiliary officers for taking their time to volunteer with MPD," Captain Michael D. Young said. 

Afterwards, Captain Gaglione said, "Thank you, we are here tonight to recognize you for the great job and for taking time to become Block Watch captains who gave us information on crimes around the area. Your help and information has made it easier for our police department of 1,800 officers to close down drug houses and respond to crimes otherwise without your help wouldn't have been solved. Especially, information we received about the suspects robbing numerous businesses along S. 27 St., it was your information that helped us catch them."
Community Liaison Officers from District 2, Jose Arzaga and Jesus Gloria, along with Community Liaison Officers from District 6, Carlos Felix and Cheryl Wolf were recognized for creating and organizing Block Watch units in their districts and getting businesses involved too.
Many of the citizens that were recognized brought their family and children to the special occasion. Block Watch captains received an "Appreciation Award for their dedication and efforts on keeping our neighborhoods safe through the Milwaukee Police Department Block Watch Program 2009." The ceremony provided the children a memorable and a positive example of their parents getting a recognition award for helping police reduce crime and making their neighborhood a safe place to work and live.
In early December, District 2 officers were credited by Capt. Gaglione for recovering over 1,200 items believed stolen in jewelry worth more than $75,000 from four South side Jewelry stores. A two month police sting operation discovered the following South side stores, Star Jewelry, Gold N Cash Jewelry, Reflections Jewelry, and John's Jewelry were buying gold jewelry as scrap and weren't asking for proper identification and not  keeping records of who sold each item as state law and local ordinances require. The stores involved received 85 citations totaling over $41,000.

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Editorial: Mayor Tom Barrett for Wisconsin Governor?

By H. Nelson Goodson
November 23, 2009

Milwaukee -It's unfortunate, will the issue of Milw. Police Chief  Edward A. Flynn's ongoing affair with Jessica McBribe affect Mayor Tom Barrett's chances of succeeding for governor? Who would be willing to support Barrett after he looks the other way and let a self confessed felon who carries a gun (but has not been charged or convicted) continue to lead the Milwaukee Police Department. Adultery is still a felony in WI, and Barrett condones it, as well as the Police Commission and the Common Council, corruption? Sure, it might look that way! What do you think?
Even, former Waukesha District Attorney Paul Bucher who filed a divorce against McBribe his wife claiming both McBribe and Chief Flynn continued the affair after Flynn said it was over. Now. Bucher wants Flynn fired!
Milwaukee Police Department has a policy, if an officer is found to have committed an illegal act even if they are not charged or convicted he/she are subject to be fired by MPD and the Fire and Police Commission. There been many cases which police officers have been fired for violating dept. policy and it doesn't cost tax dollars to discipline.
In this case, the Fire and Police Commission, Common Council and Mayor Barrett (Dem.) are looking the other way. Is Chief Flynn above the law? NO, and by those to say it's a personal matter, well those who commit crimes do it as a personal matter, too and get fired or convicted.
GOOD LUCK Mayor Barrett!

Milwaukee Police Officers Profiling Blacks, Business Owner Alleges

Police Chief Eward A. Flynn ordered officers to check license plates for registered felons visiting the gun store

By H. Nelson Goodson
September 26, 2009
Updated October 2, 2009

Milwaukee -On Thursday, October 1st, Police Chief Edward A. Flynn during a press conference said, Badger Guns has "a business plan that depends on selling guns to criminals." However, the Wisconsin Department of Justice confirmed that Badger sold guns legally to customers. Even, Wisconsin state legislators and U.S. Congressmen say Badger has sold guns legally as required by federal and state laws.
Flynn was crticised for implying Badger sold guns to felons. Legislators agreed that people buying guns for felons should be the ones targeted for illegally buying them for felons, and not Badger Guns.
Adam Allan who owns Badger Guns removed the sign alleging that his Black customers were being profiled by the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) this week saying, "I made my point."
On September 25, a controversial sign was posted by a Allan drawing attention to MPD and their tactics being used to stop Blacks leaving Badger Guns Inc., 2339 S. 43rd St. in West Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Allan put up an outdoor sign accusing the Milwaukee Police Department of profiling customers. Allan allege MPD officers are pulling over African-American customers once they leave the store. The sign read "Racist Milwaukee Police Department is pulling over African Americans leaving this store. Sorry for the inconvenience."
Apparently, numerous complaints from customers claimed that Milwaukee police have stopped them shortly after leaving the store and then are asked if they had any weapons in the vehicle.
Residents in Wisconsin of legal age and who can prove U.S. citizenship can buy a weapon, if they don't have a felony or a restraining ordering for domestic dispute. In Wisconsin, it is also legal to carry a weapon, as long it is not concealed, according to J.B. Van Hollen, Wisconsin Attorney General.
However, Flynn ordered his officers to stop anyone carrying a weapon on plain sight in order to question and possibly cite the person for disorderly conduct.
On June 11th, Flynn says a program was initiated to stake out Badger Guns to help stop "Straw Purchasing." Straw purchasing is a term used by police indicating a person buys a gun for another person who is not legally authorized to purchase a gun. Federal law prohibits straw purchases, and Wisconsin has yet to oulaw such purchases.
The program allows surveillance by officers to target any vehicle suspected of suspicious activity, such as a man staying in the car while a female or another person goes into Badger to shop. Officers also run license plates to see if they come back as registered to felons, according to Flynn.
When officers get a positive ID for a vehicle registered to a felon, they then stop the vehicle on a traffic violation. The tactic is called a "pre-text" stop, and the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that it's legal to use.
Although, for officers to specifically target vehicles in a business parking lot and to run their plates for this type of operation is questionable, could raise a legal challenge, and could very well violate the privacy of customers. Eight African-Americans have been arrested and charged as a result of the police operation, according to court records.
According to Wisconsin law, felons are not barred from gun shops or shooting ranges, but are prohibited by law to own or carry a weapon. Also, felons who are no longer on paper, probation, and incarcerated get their rights restored, but are prohibited by state and federal law from owning or carrying a weapon. Unless, a judge stipulates during a conviction a certain right is withheld.
A prior Wisconsin case, a felon used a gun to shoot someone else in self defense. He was never prosecuted because he did not have a concealed weapon at the time of the shooting, prosecutors decided.
Police reported that at least more than 1,850 guns used in crimes were recovered in Milwaukee and were linked to Badger between January 2006 and Sept. 1st, according to the new gun-trace data. But, all the guns recovered from crime scenes were sold legally by Badger Guns to the initial gun buyer and a back ground check with the Wisconsin Department of Justice approved the sale.
During the 11 week Stop Straw Buying operation, officers have seized 12 guns from felons and others leaving the store, have confirmed that felons have used the shooting range, and felons have been seen by officers frequently visiting the store.
Flynn, Mayor Tom Barrett and Milwaukee District Attorney John Chisholm agree there is no state law prohibiting felons from going into a gun shop, but would like see a change of law to prohibit felons at least 1,000 feet from gun shops and gun shows. Chisholm said Badger can and must do more to prevent straw buying gun sales.
The straw buying operation began shortly after the June 9th shooting of two officers in the South side Walker's Point. Julius Burton, 18, was charged for shooting both Officers Kunisch and Norberg with a .40-caliber Taurus pistol. Both officers survived and have serious long-term injuries. Burton bought the gun from Jacob D. Collins, 21, who has admitted in federal court that he bought the gun at Badger in May.
Allan admits that Badger Guns has been doing everything they can to prevent illegal gun sales. Officers are targeting mostly Black men, according to Allan. Flynn denies Allan allegations of racism, but admitted Black men have a higher percentage of arrests and convictions related to gun incidents resulting in death and injuries in Milwaukee.
In Wisconsin, it is illegal for police officers to simply profile a person for his ethnicity or origin in order to stop him or assume a person is about to commit a crime due to his/her looks.

Madre del sospechoso, deseaba que el Alcalde no tenia que haber intervenido

El alcalde Barrett fue golpeado salvajemente, y se recupera de las heridas ocasionadas con un tubo de metal

Por H. Nelson Goodson
20 de agosto de 2009

Milwaukee—El pasado miércoles, el Alcalde Tom Barrett, 55, llevó a cabo una conferencia de prensa frente a su residencia. Barrett agradeció al público y describió el incidente como “Las cosas se pusieron bien, bien feas, bien, bien rápido, eso de verdad es malo”. El Alcalde tenía yeso en su brazo derecho, una herida en su cara y puntos en su cabeza. También perdió dos dientes y otro diente fue roto hasta la base durante el ataque del pasado sábado. “Esto fue una decisión de momento la de en esencia tener una reunión familiar con mis hermanos… Yo no puedo imaginar una situación así en la cual la gente no reaccionaria como yo hice”, dijo Barrett
Danita Brisk, la madre del sospechoso dijo, que ella deseaba que “el Alcalde no se debió haber envuelto, y si él hubiera sido alguien más y no el alcalde, no hubiera salido en las noticias y su hijo no hubiera sido arrestado. Mi hijo sufre de desorden bi-polar no se había tomado sus medicamentos ese día”.
Barrett respondió a los comentarios de Brisk que eran “bastante bizarros.” Barrett no entró en detalles sobre el incidente o comentó más sobre el sospechoso debido a la continúa investigación.
El pasado lunes, Barrett fue dado de alta del hospital. El presidente Barack Obama había hablado con Barrett más temprano ese día y lo elogio por su valor.
El Gobernador Jim Doyle visitó a Barrett el pasado domingo. Los colegas y oficiales públicos lo están clamando como buen samaritano, quien ayudo a prevenir posible daño a una mujer y una niña.

El pasado domingo, Anthony J. Peters, de 20 años, fue arrestado por la policía alrededor de la 1 p.m. en el bloque 1700 Oeste calle State en conexión con la golpiza dada al Alcalde Barrett con un tubo de metal el pasado sábado. Barrett había asistido al State Fair con miembros de su familia y no tenía su asignado guardaespalda de la policía al momento del ataque brutal.
Barrett salió de la feria a las 10:45 p.m. acompañado de su familia cuando el notó que Peters estaba teniendo un altercado con unas personas en el bloque 8800 del Oeste calle Orchard en West Allis. Una mujer estaba gritando pidiendo ayuda y tratando de proteger de Peters a su nieta de 1 año de edad, cuando Barrett vino a ayudarle.
Peters aparentemente estaba molesto porque no le dejaban ver a su hija. Peters quien pesa 260 libras aparentaba estar intoxicado, amenazando que iba a pegarse un tiro y le iba a tirar a otros, y le había quitado el teléfono celular de la mujer con la que discutía, de acuerdo a la policía.
Barrett intervino para ayudar a calmar la situación doméstica y estaba tratando de llamar al 911, cuando Peters sacó un tubo (bastón de metal de estilo policía) y comenzó a golpear a Barrett. El alcalde logró darle un puño al individuo antes de que este dejara la escena. La policía de West Alllis respondió al incidente 911, y Barrett fue llevado al Hospital Froedert.
El Alcalde Barrett pasó por lo menos dos días en el hospital. Aunque las heridas eran serias, se espera que Barrett se recupere completamente, la herida en la parte de atrás de su cabeza tuvo que ser cerrada con grapas, y recibió cirugía plástica en una cortadura significante que recibió en la cara.
Peters fue descrito como un Nativo Americano originalmente de Lac Du Flambeau, Wisconsin y durante una conferencia de prensa el Jefe de la Policía de Milwaukee Edward A. Flynn dijo, “Anoche Peters fue totalmente violento y un maleante vicioso, y así es como se comportó”. Peters se está enfrentando a cargos criminales por asalto con un arma, de acuerdo a Flynn.