Police arrest dozens, seize thousands in Wednesday north side operation

Local and federal officers arrested more than a dozen people -- including those believed responsible for a shooting that injured two children -- and seized thousands in cash, several firearms and drugs Wednesday during an all-day, north side warrant sweep. 

Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn announced the seizures and arrests in a press conference that took place in front of an FBI command center truck outside MPD's fifth district offices. Wednesday's actions occurred in the Center Street area and were executed alongside federal law enforcement officers from the FBI, ATF and U.S. Marshals Service.

So far, police have arrested 16 people and seized five guns, $4,000 in cash and small quantities of marijuana and cocaine across the Center Street area, Flynn said. Police made arrests for offenses that included felon in possession of a firearm and narcotics-related charges.

Also, three arrests were made in connection to a July 18 quadruple shooting that injured children. Flynn noted that police also arrested a 22-year-old male suspect in connection to a rash of north side pharmacy burglaries. 

The operation, called the Center Street Corridor Operation, started in the morning and is ongoing.  

Sgt. Tim Gauerke said the operation was not in response to recent shootings and killings in the area and it was tied to separate investigations. Police did not make any arrests in the shooting death of 16-year-old Emani Robinson's, which occurred on June 25 in the area.

Flynn said more than 100 officers participated and executed search warrants in the Center Street Corridor area, about 2.3 miles. MPD deployed about 40 officers, the FBI sent some 30 agents and the ATF and U.S. Marshals made up the rest. 

Milwaukee police worked with federal law enforcement because the department has an ongoing partnership, the Public Safety Partnership, with the U.S. Department of Justice since 2016. The program focuses on providing federal resources and officers to focus on local law enforcement goals, Flynn said.

Flynn said that police have conducted similar sweeps before and have more planned for Center Street. Police said they were not targeting a specific crime network.

"Periodically, we do major warrant sweeps and search warrant sweeps in the targeted area based on the input of our policing districts," Flynn said.

Flynn described the targeted area of Wednesday's operation as "the main street of crime."

"Even though it represents a very small part of this community, it has an outsized impact on violent crime afflicting the north side of Milwaukee," he said.

Flynn added that the warrant sweeps are just a part of their efforts to improve the area through community policing, foot patrols and other community engagement methods. 

"We're trying to, if you will, liberate the neighborhood, not conquer it," Flynn said.

Reach out to Alan Hovorka at alan.hovorka@jrn.com and on Twitter @ajhovorka.