Committee refers, denies or holds multiple claims tied to MPD forced entries

The Milwaukee Common Council Judiciary & Legislation Committee on Feb. 23 recommended denial or held multiple property-damage claims arising from Milwaukee Police Department entries and search-warrant executions.

City attorneys summarized three headline claims: William and Hazel Luckett’s $22,790 claim for door and window repairs at 1927 West Hampton Ave., a $2,200 claim by Erica Bridal claimant Ersa Aberame for damage at 807 S. 36th St., and Derek Brown’s claim of $30,070 for damage at a duplex on North 12th Street. In each case the city attorney’s office recommended denial, saying MPD acted lawfully and within policy.

"MPD forced entry at the location to perform a welfare check and to warn residents of the danger," the city attorney’s office said, describing a vehicle pursuit that ended in a fatal crash and ignited a fire at the Luckett address. James Lewis, police risk manager for the Milwaukee Police Department, told the committee officers cleared the house, breached doors as needed and evacuated residents by ladder.

Claimants disputed the city’s account. Ersa Aberame said officers used distraction devices and removed children from the home, and that officers were "very, like, rude" when she arrived. "I don't understand why they kicked my door in, why they threw in flash bombs," Aberame said. MPD responded that tactical units use distraction munitions as a safety measure and that officers announced themselves multiple times before breaching.

On Derek Brown’s file, MPD said officers executed a lawful search warrant, recovered three firearms and arrested a target; the department returned money recovered from a safe to an owner and said some property in the claim was identified as belonging to the claimant. Committee members requested body-worn-camera footage to clarify disputed facts; the department said it could provide footage with additional notice. The committee then voted to hold the Brown file for follow-up.

Procedurally, committee motions recommending denial were referred to the full Common Council for final action at its March 3, 2026 meeting. Committee members emphasized that receipt of a formal notice of denial from the city clerk is a statutory prerequisite for a claimant who wishes to sue in circuit court.

The committee also handled several expedited items: a towing/parking dispute in which tow manager Nicole Anderson said the tow and citation were valid and the claimant paid $225 to retrieve a vehicle; and multiple motions to deny claims for nonappearance. The committee moved several actions by voice vote or by "hearing no objection."

The committee encouraged claimants to supply written repair estimates and, where relevant, to pursue open-records requests for videos or to take circuit-court remedies after formal denial.