Milwaukee Police Inspector Sheronda Grant

Since the nationwide protests following the 2020 murder of George Floyd, violent crime in Milwaukee has shown signs of decline. Still, the numbers remain troubling. So far in 2025, the city has recorded 58 homicides, 230 non-fatal shootings, 661 robberies and 2,392 aggravated assaults.

Milwaukee police officers continue to face challenges. But in many neighborhoods, the baton is giving way to dialogue. To learn more about how modern policing is evolving, I sat down with Police Inspector Sheronda Grant. Barely over 40, Grant has already spent more than two decades with the Milwaukee Police Department and now holds one of its highest leadership roles.

We met in the main conference room at Downtown police headquarters. Grant is instantly charismatic, marked by an easy smile and thoughtful candor. Her focus and conviction reflect a clear commitment to public safety and community trust.

How and why did you decide to get into police work?

When I graduated from Milwaukee Hamilton Public High School, I needed job. Milwaukee Police recruiters visited our school. As a police aide, I would be making $8 an hour, and the police department would help pay tuition for college, which I found important. Also, my mother was a volunteer police officer. At the age of 18, I began my career in law enforcement in 2001. I started in Forensics, the Bureau of Identification. Next, I worked in District 1 and then in Records Management. Along the way, I had some doubts about a career as a police officer, but two older police women encouraged me. I learned that cops are just regular folks despite wearing the uniforms.

What was your next step to becoming a full-fledged police officer?

When I turned 21, I entered the police academy. Two years later, I was convinced this would be my career. 

Here is a quotation from you: “In the sixth grade in math class, I was taught about statistics. There were negative statistics about African Americans. I found out that Black students drop out of high school way more than white students. A lot of Black girls get pregnant and drop out at a higher rate than white girls. That fueled me to graduate high school and have a career in something.”

Thanks for reminding me of that quotation. That is the reason I went to college because I wanted to prove those statistics wrong. Statistics said, “Black kids don’t graduate from high school or go to college.” I knew that wasn’t me. Later, while still working, I received my bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and my master’s degree in organizational leadership.  

Describe your 20-some year career path as you moved up in the ranks of the Milwaukee Police Department.

For eight years, I served as a police officer in District 4 on the Northwest side, 69th and Silver Spring. I did patrol work for four years and spent another four years doing undercover work. Patrol work included domestic violence calls, gun calls, trouble with residents, the run of the mill calls. But I worked a lot of overtime from the age of 22 to 26 because I really liked the job and couldn’t believe I was getting paid to have so much fun. I liked interacting with folks and resolving conflicts. My partner and I were often the arrest officers. We did the takedowns.

You were, what, 26 when you went undercover?

Twenty-five or 26. I was doing undercover narcotics. There were four of us, two from the Vice Squad who specialized in narcotics and in search warrants. This job was a blessing because I was doing things I never thought I’d do. I wore different clothes, hairstyles, wigs and I blended into neighborhoods where residents were tired of people selling drugs. That meant hanging out at gas stations with drug dealers who were selling weed, crack, you name it. My father was a recovering crack addict. I felt I was doing something to combat narcotics. A kid’s mom might send him to the gas station to buy a loaf of bread, and a drug dealer would get the kid hooked on weed.

When you were hanging out at a gas stations where drug dealers are working, what are you doing? How did you operate?

Generally, a dealer might ask if I wanted to buy,or ask one of my team. But we couldn’t make an arrest until the transaction was complete. If a citizen alerted us to a drug house, we might go there. We would set up a plan to focus on that drug house. To make that work, we needed good relationships with our residents who were fed up with drug trafficking, shots fired, fighting, physical drama. I think that everybody deserves to have a peaceful block to live on.

After the undercover assignment, what was your next job?

I worked in Human Resources as a recruiting officer. I would frequent high schools and churches and try to recruit young people who might want a career in the police force. In 2014, I was promoted to sergeant and assigned to District 5 at Locust and Burleigh on the East Side. Stayed there for a year and half, and then went to Internal Affairs where I investigated police misconduct. Then, I moved onto the Police Academy as a training sergeant. Next, I became the press liaison for the police chief. After that, I was promoted to lieutenant and spent a year and a half at District 3, and then I moved onto District 5 as the Captain. 

District 5 is a tough area, the inner city, lots of criminal activity.

It was a challenge, but I liked the challenge. I stayed in that that job as captain for three years before recently taking this job as Inspector.

How should the public connect with the police? Too many residents, especially in the inner city, feel hostile toward police and are often uncooperative.

As it relates to police officers interacting with our residents, we are all humans. I wear a uniform, but at some point, I remove that uniform, and I am a citizen just as we all are. But mistrust can go both ways. Both sides have to want to build a good relationship. When I was captain at District 5, I tried to break those gaps. There were officers who just wanted to chase the bad guys and go in when shots were fired. Those type of officers run into a lot of hostility, and they might look at most individuals as potentially violent or over-reactors to shots fired or violent conditions. I brought those officers in the building to engage with public residents at community events. These residents explained they did not hate the police, but they thanked the police. To flip the scene, if only residents see police as an occupying force or to take their freedoms away, that is not good either. I tried to create opportunities for us all to engage. 

I think you are referring to the concept of community policing.

Yes, and community policing means us interacting and having a good time with residents, partnering with one another. It’s a matter of mutual trust. 

Comment on the “no-snitching” rule and how it can deter from effective policing.

We in the police want our residents to trust us, give us information so we can do our jobs and interact with the criminals. Let’s say you live in a neighborhood that has crime challenges. It does not mean you agree with that illegal activity. If you identify drug houses, then law enforcement can investigate. We do not consider that snitching. Police try to build good relationships with residents. We encourage people to contact us if they see criminal activity. 

What is the most difficult aspect of being a police officer?

Early in my career, the most difficult aspect for me was understanding that I don’t have to support everything another police officer does. I did not support “dirty cops,” senseless killing or violence by police officers. I wanted residents to understand that about me.

What is the most rewarding part of the job?

As I have grown into management, it is rewarding to help people get promoted. I can say the same thing for myself as I’ve moved up in the ranks. But one reason that I accepted these promotions was to show other police women and women of color that they can succeed in their jobs. I also wanted to show them that being a police officer is a lot of hard work in every aspect.

Note: There are 239 sworn female police officers out of 1,581 total sworn officers.   

You are now Inspector Sheronda Grant. What are your job responsibilities in this inspector role?

I oversee District 1, 3, 5, and 7, the most challenging districts for criminal activity. I also oversee our Community Policing Initiative, and our school resource officers. I report to the Ddputy chief, Steve Johnson.

Aren’t those school resource officers the ones who patrol the public schools? That initiative was kind of controversial. How is that coming along?

The school resource officers interact positively with the students and the MPS staff members. They all requested to take on these jobs. The program started last March. It is going very well.

This is strictly anecdotal, but I’ve been around the streets of the central city for quite a while, and I’d have to say there seems to be a better communication between police officers and residents in the past few years. Am I right? If so, why has that changed compared to the past rash of protests and the George Floyd years?

I would say that communication between residents and law enforcement is getting better. That is because police officers are listening more to resident concerns. Since 2020, we in the police force have been more intentional in working with residents and community leaders. 

Five years ago, during the George Floyd protests, several street leaders led the protests and encouraged unrest. Now they have matured into responsible positive leaders. I think of the recent crime where the white man, Maxwell Anderson, killed and dismembered the Black woman college student, Sade Robinson. Protests were few. The Black community stayed calm. A tribute to responsible street leaders. Anderson was judged guilty in a short trial.

There was relative calm. As to our community stakeholders and advocates, I thank them. We work with a variety of community groups to quell violence. They are able to engage with certain residents who may not engage with police officers. I have so much respect for them.

You once told me, and I quote, “The goal of a police officer is to practice restraint even if a person is emotional, angry, fiery. The officer needs to take the time and listen, deescalate the situation.” Can you elaborate or give an example?

Keep in mind, when we engage with people, we are talking to them in a very difficult time in their lives. The only time we go to the family barbecue is because somebody is drunk, angry, got shot or is dead. The police officer needs to step back and not take angry behavior personally. Listen to what the person is saying. Behave in a respectful manner. Police need to understand that they are called into a situation because somebody needs help.

What is the day in the life of a cop? You report to work, then what? Who gives you the assignment?

You come to work and report to the roll call, get the information of the day from the shift sergeant, get your patrol assignment and go out and do the work. Could be crowd control or policing a certain area of the city.

Can a police officer lead a so-called normal life?

You can, as long as you have a support system among friends and family.