Signature bond set for Milwaukee officer charged with battery, disorderly conduct

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee Police Officer Matthew Willmann appeared in court for his initial appearance Tuesday, Feb. 24. 

Earlier this month, he was charged with battery and disorderly conduct. The charges stem from an incident last July when he was off duty. 

Willmann pleaded not guilty. 

A signature bond was set at $500. Willmann was also ordered to maintain absolute sobriety.

"Do think absolute sobriety would be a good idea," said Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Pickett. 

"My client is a city of Milwaukee employee, has no criminal record, allegations in the complaint are what they are, but alcohol is simply not an issue," said Daniel Adams, Officer Willmann's attorney. 

"Appears to be driven by intoxication so I will enter an absolute sobriety order," said Judicial Court Commissioner David Sweet. 

According to a criminal complaint, Willmann was drinking in a bar on Old World Third Street with his wife and others. At the same time, a crowd was marching on State Street. The complaint says some members of the crowd were expressing negative words about police. 

Willmann's wife left the bar, shouted at the crowd and threw her cup of beer toward the crowd, according to the complaint. 

The complaint says "the crowd responded angrily" toward her. 

Willmann went into the crowd and began swinging his arms toward someone who was photographing the march with a camera. The photographer said Willmann "appeared intoxicated and angry, stating unintelligible words while swinging his arms toward him."

The complaint says at one point, Willmann struck the camera, causing it to fall to the ground, and damaging it. 

While heading back to the bar, the complaint says, Willmann approached another photographer and struck her camera as she was holding it to her face, causing the camera to hit her face. She "indicated she suffered pain and has had subsequent professional medical attention for lingering pain to her head and neck, consistent with symptoms of concussion," according to the complaint. 

The complaint says in a statement to responding officers, Willmann acknowledged that "he swatted at the camera" of the first photographer in an effort to prevent photos from being taken of his wife. He also admitted he "swatted the camera" held by the second photographer in an effort to prevent photos being taken of him and his wife. 

Willmann was also ordered by the court to report to the Milwaukee County Jail by the end of the weekend to be booked and released.