OFFICER ACCUSED OF TOSSING DRUGS

He Threw Crack Cocaine In Sewer, Complaint Says

A Milwaukee police officer was behind bars Friday, accused of throwing
crack cocaine down a sewer. He had obtained the crack cocaine after
responding to a battery scene, according to a criminal complaint.

Talmer Wilson, 26, is charged with a felony and a misdemeanor for
misconduct in public office. He also is being charged with obstructing an
officer. If convicted on all the charges, Wilson faces up to five years and
nine months in prison and $20,000 in fines.

According to the complaint, filed Thursday, the incident occurred Oct. 15
after Wilson responded to a call of drug activity in an apartment building
in the 3500 block of N. 9th St.

A resident manager of the building said he observed a suspicious woman
trying to enter the apartment.

The manager told police he confronted the woman and took a small bag of
crack cocaine from her after she said she was there on drug business.

After confronting the men he said were dealing drugs in the building, the
manager said, he was kicked, punched and thrown down a flight of stairs.

The manager called police, and Wilson responded.

Instead of taking the bag of crack cocaine as evidence, however, Wilson
tossed it down a sewer grate, the complaint alleges.

Wilson, a police officer since June 1999, told the apartment manager that
he was about to go on vacation and that he would issue battery citations
against the men who attacked him when he returned in nine days, the
complaint says.

The victim filed a complaint, and the matter was turned over to the Police
Department's Internal Affairs Division.

Three days after Wilson initially said he hadn't seen drugs at the
apartment, he changed his story, the complaint says.

Wilson told internal affairs that he he placed the cocaine bag in his
pocket and then threw it down a sewer drain, the complaint says.

Wilson said he did not know why he threw the drugs down the sewer, the
complaint says.

Wilson, who is just one-third of the way through his rookie officer
probationary period, is on full suspension from the police department.