MILWAUKEE — A Milwaukee police detective who was charged last year with obstructing an officer and operating a firearm while intoxicated is headed to trial.
"Now that this matter's being set for trial, I just want to put on the record that the state is revoking our offer to resolve this,” prosecutor Jennifer Lehner said.
The reason TMJ4 attended the hearing is because we’re investigating Milwaukee County’s Brady list.
In partnership with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Wisconsin Watch, we found Nicole Swenson is one of 22 officers on the Brady list for more than one reason.
Brady material has to be disclosed to defense attorneys if a Brady list officer is called to testify in court. It’s required due to a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case called Brady v. Maryland dating back to 1964.
Watch: MPD detective put on Brady list a second time, criminal case heads to trial
Swenson landed on the Brady list a second time after an off-duty incident last May.
When Milwaukee police responded to a 911 call for an SUV smashed into a median at Hawley and State, it didn’t take long for officers to realize one of their own was involved.
Police records say they saw a Milwaukee Police Department Detective ID on the front passenger seat. A registration check revealed Swenson was the owner.
Before officers arrived on the scene, court documents show a good samaritan found, "[Swenson] was inside of the car and trying to drive it."
The good samaritan told Swenson he could give her a ride and she got in his car.
The criminal complaint states, "It wasn't until [a sergeant] arrived and was able to coax [Swenson] out of the vehicle and into the back of a squad car."
Police records show Swenson denied driving her vehicle that night and wouldn’t say if she had been drinking.
Police documents say Swenson failed field sobriety tests.
When asked about her service weapon, court records show Swenson said it “was at her desk, locker, or at home.”
While she was being questioned at a police station, prosecutors say a lieutenant looked down and said, “Your gun is right here in this bag.”
Police documents say a detective reviewed body camera footage from the scene and saw Swenson, “removed a holstered firearm from her center console … and put it in her purse.”
The internal affairs investigation determined, that “Swenson intentionally lied to officers and supervisors.”
Swenson denied our interview request.
TMJ4 asked Chief Jeffrey Norman about the case during an interview about the Brady list in January.
"She's on full suspension, so I am disappointed in regards to that this is a particular situation that this member has found herself in,” he said. “Being as it may, she is still innocent until proven guilty."
Swenson is due back in court next month. Chief Norman says he will decide whether she’ll remain on the force when the case concludes.
If you want to see all of the current and former officers on Milwaukee County’s Brady list, our database in partnership with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Wisconsin Watch can be found below.
See all Duty to Disclose stories as they are posted here.
The Brady list is a compilation of current or former law enforcement officers deemed by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office to have credibility issues. The underlying allegation can range from lying on exams to violent crimes. Just because an officer is on the list does not mean he or she was necessarily convicted or charged with a crime, or found guilty of internal misconduct. According to the office of District Attorney Kent Lovern, some cases may have resulted in an acquittal, been dismissed, or were amended to non-criminal offenses. The office says, "the database is accurate to the best of our knowledge as of February 27, 2025."
About this project
“Duty to Disclose” is a joint investigation by TMJ4, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Wisconsin Watch. The collaboration was prompted by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s decision in 2024 to release its “Brady List,” a closely-guarded list of law enforcement officers with alleged credibility issues, after pressure from the news organizations.
TMJ4 Lighthouse reporter Ben Jordan, Journal Sentinel investigative reporter Ashley Luthern and Wisconsin Watch investigative reporter Mario Koran spent four months verifying the hundreds of officers on the list, discovering that it is frequently incomplete and inconsistent.
Readers with tips about the Brady List are encouraged to contact reporter Ben Jordan at ben.jordan@tmj4.com.
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