Mary Spicuzza

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett mocked Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. as an absentee sheriff focused on his conservative television career instead of public safety.

"I think he's got a great gig going right now. He's fightin' crime one conservative cable TV show at a time," Barrett said Wednesday during an interview with Wisconsin Eye and the Journal Sentinel. "He's made a great name for himself, I think, as the darling of the conservative cable network. I think he can make a ton of money doing that."

When asked if Clarke was doing TV appearances at the expense of doing his job as sheriff, Barrett said, "I think if you were to ask people who know what's going on here, they would say that he rode his horse out of town a long time ago."

Clarke fired back, "We have a Tom 'Punxsutawney Phil' Barrett sighting! Tell the 'milk-carton-have-you-seen-me' mayor that he must be a closet Fox News Channel fan or he wouldn't know anything about conservative TV appearances, or he's regurgitating Democrat talking points.

"Right now, I'm busy being briefed on the burglary ring occurring on the north side of Milwaukee. Another one. Can our milquetoast mayor tell us anything about that? Good thing for Castle Doctrine. I'll be reminding the public of that," Clarke said in a statement on Facebook. "I get requested for TV appearances probably because I make sense. Nobody wants to hear from Barrett. He should crawl back in his hole.”

Milwaukee police this week warned residents on the city's northwest side about an increase in burglaries.

Clarke, a big fan of President Donald Trump, recently wrote a letter seeking federal authority so his deputies and correctional officers can enforce immigration laws locally.

In January, Trump signed an executive order on immigration enforcement that included measures to ramp up the 287(g) program. That program allows officers who have been through a four-week training program to interview, arrest and detain anyone thought to be in violation of immigration laws.

RELATED: Bice: Letter details Clarke's plan for immigration enforcement

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Barrett said he wants Milwaukee police officers to focus on fighting crime, not serving as immigration officials. He said the federal government has failed to pass meaningful immigration reform, and shouldn't expect local officers to act as "border guards."

"I can tell you I've had this job for nearly 13 years, and I have never once — never once — seen Sheriff Clarke at a crime scene," Barrett said. "So what he does with his resources, that's going to be his decision. Our police officers are out there trying to make safer streets, and that's what I want them to do."

Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn has said he has no interest in trying to get the authority to deputize his officers as immigration officers.