Milwaukee police officer killed in squad car rollover crash

Show Caption Hide Caption Milwaukee police officer killed in squad car rollover crash Officer Charles Irvine Jr., 23, died Thursday in a rollover crash. He is the first officer to die in the line of duty in 22 years.

A Milwaukee police officer died Thursday after the squad he was in crashed on the city's northwest side during a pursuit of a reckless driver, Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales said.

Another officer was injured in the crash that occurred about 5 p.m. in the 7600 block of West Silver Spring Drive, Morales said at a news conference outside Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa.

Morales identified the officer as Charles Irvine Jr., 23, a four-year veteran of the department.

"It is with great sadness that I stand before you today as the Chief of the Milwaukee Police Department and announce the death of one of our own, 23-year-old Police Officer Charles Irvine Junior of District 4," Morales said.

Irvine was the first Milwaukee officer killed in the line of duty in 22 years.

“This is a very sad day for our community,” Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said at the news conference.

According to Morales, the officers in the squad were pursuing a man who was driving recklessly.

A suspect was taken into custody Thursday night, sources said.

Irvine's partner, 36, also a four-year-veteran of the department, was in stable condition, according to Morales, who did not identify him.

The officers were based at District 4 at North 69th Street and West Silver Spring Drive.

“The Irvine family is suffering, the entire Milwaukee Police Department is suffering," Barrett said. "This underscores how difficult the job of a Milwaukee police officer is.

“Officer Irvine gave his life for the people of this community. He served it because he wanted it to be a better community.”

Irvine is the first Milwaukee police officer killed in the line of duty since Officer Wendolyn O. Tanner was fatally shot during a foot pursuit of a suspect in 1996 in an open area behind a home in the 4800 block of North 21st Street.

Tanner was awaiting the birth of his first child.

Officer's car taken away from scene of crash The squad car that crashed Thursday night, killing Milwaukee Police Officer Charles Irvine Jr., is loaded onto a truck.

The suspect in the Thursday pursuit has not been publicly identified, but online court records show his driver's license had been revoked for refusing to submit to a drug or alcohol test in an earlier traffic incident.

No other vehicles were involved in the crash, Morales said.

Milwaukee's chase policy has been the subject of widespread debate in recent years. Currently, officers can chase vehicles linked to violent crime and are allowed to pursue cars tied to drug dealing or reckless driving.

Officers can chase if the "necessity of immediate apprehension outweighs the level of danger created by the vehicle pursuit, as in the case of the vehicle engaged in reckless driving."

Before that, the pursuit policy allowed officers to chase a vehicle only if they had probable cause that it, or the people inside, was involved in a violent felony.

The department had tightened the policy so officers could not chase for misdemeanor offenses, such as drug possession, or nonviolent felonies, such as burglary.

That restrictive change came in 2010 after four bystanders were killed by drivers fleeing police. Since then, the pursuit policy has been debated and criticized on and off.

The debate took on new life in April 2017 when a majority of Common Council members sent a letter to the Fire and Police Commission calling on board members to order then-Police Chief Edward Flynn "to redraw his pursuit policy."

The commission ordered Flynn to change the policy last July and approved his proposed changes in September.

Late Thursday, dozens of officers from area police departments drove in procession from Froedtert to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office in tribute to Irvine.

"You can imagine how this feels," one Milwaukee police officer said.

Other public officials offered their condolences for the loss of Irvine.

"On behalf of the entire Milwaukee Common Council, I want to express my deepest sympathies to the family of Milwaukee Police Officer Charles Irvine Jr.," Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton said in a statement.

"He died in the service of the community he swore to protect."

Ald. Cavalier Johnson said in a statement that Irvine "bravely put his life on the line to make sure that our streets are safe from the dangerous scourge of reckless driving."

Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel said in a statement that Irvine made "the ultimate sacrifice for his community."

"May God rest Charles’ soul and may God watch over the injured officer’s recovery, Schimel said.

Milwaukee County Sheriff Richard Schmidt said in a statement that he was extremely saddened to learn of the death of another law enforcement officer.

"This officer gave his life protecting the lives of Milwaukee’s citizens," Schmidt said.

On Friday Gov. Scott Walker ordered the state and federal flags to be flown at half-staff in honor Irvine.

"Tonette and I send our prayers to the family and friends of Officer Charles Irvine Jr. and to the entire Milwaukee Police Department as they mourn," Walker said. "Charles died while serving to keep his community safe, and his loss is a painful reminder of the dangers faced and sacrifices made by our first responders every single day. We keep Charles' memory in our hearts today and always."