A Milwaukee police officer has been charged with fourth-degree sexual assault and disorderly conduct after a woman told investigators he groped her without her consent outside a South Milwaukee bar. Officer Nathan Enk, who has served with the department for more than seven years, has been on full suspension since the night of the alleged assault.
According to the criminal complaint, the incident happened around 2 a.m. on September 21 outside the Taproom on Milwaukee Avenue, as reported by WISN. A witness told police that bar patrons had been trying to escort Enk out of the establishment before he approached the woman outside and grabbed her breasts, the complaint alleges.
The woman said she did not know Enk and that he repeatedly tried to kiss and touch her, telling her she was going home with him. During a police interview, Enk denied groping the woman, the complaint states, though per the same account he made a separate remark disputing the characterization of what happened.
Charges Carry Months in Prison, Thousands in Fines
The Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office filed the charges Monday. The sexual assault count carries a maximum penalty of up to nine months in prison and a $10,000 fine, while the disorderly conduct charge carries up to 90 days in prison and a $1,000 fine, the station's report notes. Enk was arrested by the jurisdiction where the incident occurred.
Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said the department learned of the allegation in September 2026 and that Enk was placed on full suspension that same day. Norman called the incident concerning and said it falls short of the standards the community expects and deserves, adding that the department expects every sworn and professional staff member to act with the highest integrity and professionalism. He said any violation of department policies or the law will be addressed appropriately, while also recognizing that Enk, like anyone accused, has the right to due process and is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
A Department With a History of Scrutiny Over Misconduct Cases
The Enk case lands amid longer-running questions about how Wisconsin police agencies handle sexual misconduct allegations within their own ranks. A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigation found 93 sworn Milwaukee personnel disciplined for violating state laws or local ordinances out of a force of roughly 1,900 sworn members at the time, though the newspaper noted the department generally releases only a partial list of complaints — limited to cases investigators found deserving of discipline — and that obtaining those records required a 19-month wait and more than $7,500 in fees. The same investigation identified three Milwaukee officers disciplined over on-duty sexual misconduct allegations who continued serving on the force.
Separately, a federal judge allowed a lawsuit against the city of Milwaukee and police officials to proceed over alleged failures to investigate, supervise and discipline an officer accused of sexual misconduct, according to Courthouse News Service. That case centered on former officer Ladmarald Cates, who was convicted in federal court in January 2012 of sexual assault and depriving a victim of due process, and who was discharged from the department after an internal investigation found he had lied about sexual contact with the complainant. These cases involve different people, allegations and time periods and are not evidence regarding the charges against Enk.
Research cited by Wisconsin Public Radio estimated that 71 percent of women and 41 percent of men working as police officers nationally have reported experiencing sexual harassment or assault on the job. The outlet's reporting on the Sheboygan Police Department detailed how 12 of 62 patrol officers were disciplined or verbally admonished in 2021 following internal investigations that found four male officers had sexually harassed female colleagues; the police chief there reduced his captain's recommended discipline to one- and two-week suspensions for the worst offenders, at least three female officers resigned amid frustrations with the department, and the city later settled a related discrimination complaint for $110,000 while denying wrongdoing.
Milwaukee police have not detailed what, if any, disciplinary action beyond the suspension the department intends to pursue.
