OFFICER CHARGED WITH MISCONDUCT

8-Year Veteran Is Accused Of Touching Woman In Traffic Stop

A Milwaukee police officer, once hailed as a hero in 1994 for delivering a
woman's baby in the front seat of her car, was charged Monday with
misconduct in public office and fourth-degree sexual assault for allegedly
touching a woman during a traffic stop.

A criminal complaint filed Monday against Officer Terrence Gilbert charges
that he offered to ignore a drug violation by the woman in exchange for a
lap dance.

The incident was the third in his eight-year career that found Gilbert, 33,
in legal trouble.

If convicted of misconduct in public office, a felony, and fourth-degree
sexual assault, a misdemeanor, Gilbert could receive up to five years and
nine months in prison, a $20,000 fine or both.

According to a criminal complaint, Gilbert, while on duty and in uniform,
stopped the woman's car Thursday evening in the 4700 block of N. 37th St.

Then, according to the complaint:

After checking the woman's driver's license, Gilbert asked her to step out
of the car and escorted her to the rear of the vehicle, where he repeatedly
asked her whether she "had anything on her," fondled her breasts and ran
his hands over the rest of her body.

The complaint says that Gilbert ordered the woman to sit in his squad car
after discovering several used marijuana cigarettes and a small plastic bag
containing marijuana in her car.

Once in his squad car, the complaint says Gilbert continued to "examine"
her, even forcing her to lift her shirt and bra for up to two minutes.

Gilbert eventually let the woman go with a $71.90 citation for having
expired license plates, but not before he threatened to cite her later for
the marijuana possession and tell her father about the incident if she
didn't agree to come to a party the next evening and perform an adult dance
for him.

Gilbert gave the woman two telephone numbers at which she could reach him
for details about the party, including a number to the 7th District Police
Station at 3626 W. Fond du Lac Ave., where he was assigned.

Woman calls officer

The woman later called Gilbert at work, and agreed to dance at his party if
he would drop the marijuana charge.

Gilbert promised that "it'll be taken care of," the complaint says, but he
was apparently unaware that the woman had contacted authorities herself to
report their encounter from Thursday.

Later Friday night, when Gilbert met the woman at a prearranged rendezvous
point, another officer assigned to investigate the woman's allegations
arrested Gilbert.

This isn't the first time that Gilbert, a member of the department for
eight years, has found himself in legal difficulty.

Last July, he lost a court appeal of a 10-day suspension without pay levied
against him by the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission in 1997.

The incident that led to the suspension occurred July 14, 1997, in Calumet
City, Ill.

Gilbert was arrested that day and accused of hitting his estranged wife on
the head with a telephone, breaking a table in her home and threatening to
shoot her male friend with his service weapon.

Gilbert was charged in Illinois with domestic battery, aggravated assault,
unlawful use of a weapon and criminal damage to property.

The charges were later dropped because his wife and her friend would not
testify.

Nevertheless, the Fire and Police Commission, which was not bound by the
legal outcome, suspended Gilbert.

Just a month earlier, in June 1997, he had been charged in Milwaukee County
with disorderly conduct after allegedly drawing his gun, while off duty,
and sticking it in the face of a 13-year-old boy.

Court records show that Gilbert, who claimed he was in fear for his safety,
brandished his gun and chased the boy and a group of young men after one of
them threw a beer bottle at his car.

In this case, a jury found Gilbert not guilty after key witnesses again
failed to testify against him.

Gilbert has been disciplined at least 10 other times since 1993, mostly for
minor incidents such as discourteousness to fellow officers and the public
and for being late to work.