Police seize guns, drugs on New Year’s holiday

In the span of seven hours, Milwaukee police officers in one north side district recovered a rifle, three handguns and more than 300 grams of marijuana.

In all, officers in District 5 recovered 610 guns in 2017 — about 22% of all guns recovered citywide last year, the department announced Monday.

Based on that data, it appears Milwaukee police have seized about 2,772 firearms last year, roughly 14% more than in 2016.

The Milwaukee Police Department regularly has higher rates of gun recoveries than larger cities. In 2016, the gun recovery rate was 406.84 guns per 100,000 people — higher than Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City.

Officers in District 5 recovered the guns and drugs from cars and after a ShotSpotter alert, a system of sensors for detecting and locating gunshots.

“I’m extremely proud of the officers in District 5,” Capt. Timothy Heier said Monday. “They put their lives on the line every night responding to armed subjects.”

The New Year’s holiday is typically one of the most active nights for ShotSpotter because of people firing their guns in celebration, he said.

On Sunday, ShotSpotter issued 136 alerts citywide, a roughly 9% drop from last year, which Heier attributed to policing and weather.

“I think it was a combination of good deployment of resources and it also has to do with the cold weather,” he said. “It was extremely cold last night, but we had a plan and we were out in the public spaces.” According to police: Officers were interviewing people inside a car on W. Center St. near N. 13th St. about 6 p.m. New Year’s Eve when they saw a gold-painted rifle and magazine inside.

Police determined the 28year-old driver and the 52-yearold passenger were convicted felons and therefore legally barred from possessing a gun. Both men were arrested and will be referred to prosecutors for possible charges later this week.

Then, about 8:45 p.m., officers were called to a crash in the 3500 block of N. Teutonia Ave.

The driver of the striking car, a 2006 Lexus, ran from the scene, but his passenger, an 18year-old woman, stayed in the vehicle.

Inside the car, officers found more than 300 grams of marijuana, a handgun and more than $3,500. The woman was arrested and charges are expected, police said. Minor injuries were reported in the crash.

Shortly before 1 a.m. New Year’s Day, officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert in the 3400 block of N. 14th St.

When officers arrived, they found six men in an alley and one of them began to run, Heier said. Officers ran after the 22year-old man who they saw toss a gun. Police arrested the man and found the gun, a 9mm Glock with a 30-round magazine, Heier said.

Officers found a .40-caliber gun in the alley where the men had been, he said. Both firearms had been reported stolen.

Officers also recovered several other guns overnight in other incidents, Heier said.