Officer John Machajewski and Officer Charles Mehlberg were killed in the line of duty on December 23rd, 1981. The suspect went into Alfred’s House of Bourbon shortly before midnight. He had a beer and then grabbed a woman around the neck and held a gun to her head as he announced a robbery. As the bartender was emptying the cash register, the suspect fired a shot at a patron. No one was injured. The suspect scooped up about $200 in […] Read More
Officer John Machajewski and Officer Charles Mehlberg were killed in the line of duty on December 23rd, 1981. The suspect went into Alfred’s House of Bourbon shortly before midnight. He had a beer and then grabbed a woman around the neck and held a gun to her head as he announced a robbery. As the bartender was emptying the cash register, the suspect fired a shot at a patron. No one was injured. The suspect scooped up about $200 in […] Read More
On January 30th, 1982, Officer Sydney Snow and his partner headed out in plainclothes working the tavern car, which checks the licenses of neighborhood bars and businesses. They went to Shirley and Sonny’s Pool Hall at 1658 W. Hopkins Street to order in the operator on license violations. A struggle ensued with the operator who pulled out a .25 caliber handgun and shot Officer Snow. The officer returned fire, as did his partner, killing the man. Officer Snow was 29 […] Read More
At 9:30 a.m. on March 19th, 1985, Officer Rosario Collura and Officer Leonard Lesnieski were gunned down in an alley by a man who later said that he did it because he did not want to go back to jail. Officer Collura and Officer Lesnieski interrupted a drug deal at N. 17th Street and W. Center Street. The officers began frisking the men. As one of the men was searched, he pulled a gun and shot both officers in the […] Read More
At 9:30 a.m. on March 19th, 1985, Officer Rosario Collura and Officer Leonard Lesniewski were gunned down in an alley by a man who later said that he did it because he did not want to go back to jail. Officer Collura and Officer Lesniewski interrupted a drug deal at N. 17th Street and W. Center Street. The officers began frisking the men. As one of the men was searched, he pulled a gun and shot both officers in the […] Read More
Officer Dennis Gorlewski was en route to a non-emergency call for police about 1:25 p.m. on March 25, 1987. He stopped in the northbound lane of S. 35th Street, preparing to turn left on W. National Avenue, when he was struck by an dump truck that was traveling eastbound and had run a red light. Several witnesses reported the dump truck was traveling at a high rate of speed and ran the red light before striking the officer. The force […] Read More
Officer Roger Sterling and his partner were responding to back up another squad in pursuit of a vehicle that refused to stop. It happened around 2:25 a.m. on May 11, 1987 at the intersection of N. 32nd Street and W. Center Street, when they collided with the other squad. Officer Sterling was killed in the crash. The other officers involved in the crash were badly hurt. A number of officers who responded to the crash were burned as they attempted to […] Read More
Officer Steven Hasenstab died on August 19th, 1989, at Froedtert Hospital from injuries sustained in a crash on August 8th, at N. 27th Street and W. Vine Street, while in pursuit of a stolen vehicle. Officer Hasenstab was a 1979 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh where he studied law enforcement. He was 33 years old at the time of his death and he left behind a wife and daughter. Read More
Around 1:00 a.m. on October 25, 1990, Officer Richard Wagner chased on foot a suspected auto thief who had bailed from a car at the intersection of N. 15th Street and W. Columbia Street. The suspect eluded Officer Wagner and when he returned to his squad car, Officer Wagner collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital and despite tremendous effort, doctors could not revive him. Officer Wagner died of a heart attack. Officer Wagner was to receive a meritorious duty citation […] Read More
Sergeant Michael Tourmo was responding to a call of a burglary in progress at the North Avenue Smoke Shop, 2533 W. North Ave, at 6:55 on a Sunday morning. He was the first officer on scene and chased two suspects from the scene. The chase went through several yards, and one of the suspects fired as many as eight or nine shots at Sergeant Tourmo. One of those bullets struck Sergeant Tourmo in the head. Additional officers joined the chase […] Read More