Rep. Sensenbrenner Offers Federal Enforcement To Wauwatosa

WAUWATOSA, WI — Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner offered to send federal law enforcement assistance to Wauwatosa after a suspended police officer was reportedly assaulted by protesters at his home. The mayor declined the offer.

According to an Aug. 11 letter he sent to Mayor Dennis McBride, Sensenbrenner stated he believes "we are teetering on a crisis."

"I write to you today concerning the deteriorating security and policing in Wauwatosa," Sensenbrenner 's letter said.

In his letter, he addressed protests that occurred Saturday.

Joseph Mensah, a Black Wauwatosa police officer was suspended after being involved in three fatal shootings of people of color over the past five years. He was allegedly attacked and shot at while at home on Saturday night. A group of 50-60 people showed up at the officer's home near 100th Street and Vienna Avenue in the Milwaukee suburb around 8 p.m., "targeting" him, according to police.

The large group first vandalized the home and then became more violent, Wauwatosa police said in a news release.

"Officer Mensah attempted to establish a dialogue with the group but was ultimately physically assaulted outside his home," police said in a statement. "As Officer Mensah retreated into his home, armed protesters approached the rear door and a single shotgun round was discharged by a member of the group into the back door," the release said.

On Tuesday, police said what occurred Saturday night was not an organized or peaceful protest. "It was a targeted, planned act of violence against one of our police officers and our community," the release said.

Sensenbrenner stressed he supports an American citizen's First Amendment rights.

"Ever since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and the protests the incident sparked, there has been a push by community leaders throughout the country to weaken, defund and abolish police departments in several cities. Locally, Officer Mensah has become the poster child for this movement due to his three officer-involved shooting incidents," Sensenbrenner's letter said.

Sensenbrenner ended his letter stating, " While we have reached a critical tipping point in Wauwatosa, I am confident that if we work together, we can restore the rule of law."

McBride responded in an email to Sensenbrenner's office on Aug. 11 that Wauwatosa doesn't need federal intervention.

"We can manage without it, and federal intervention would only exacerbate the tensions in our City," McBride said.