A special Milwaukee, WI police unit that practically wrote the book on vote fraud and how to prevent it has been told not to go near polling locations today, the Wall Street Journal is reporting.

In February, the police task force, led by officer Mike Sandvick, released a 67-page document on its investigation of the “illegal organized attempt to influence the outcome of [the 2004] election in the state of Wisconsin.” According to the report, at least sixteen employees of the John Kerry campaign, and two community organizing groups, committed “felony crimes” by taking advantage of the state’s same-day registration law to commit vote fraud on a massive scale. However, local prosecutors declined to pursue charges.

According to the Journal (emphasis added):

The report found that between 4,600 and 5,300 more votes were counted in Milwaukee than the number of voters recorded as having cast ballots. Absentee ballots were cast by people living elsewhere; ineligible felons not only voted but worked at the polls; transient college students cast improper votes; and homeless voters possibly voted more than once.

Much of the problem resulted from Wisconsin’s same-day voter law, which allows anyone to show up at the polls, register and then cast a ballot. ID requirements are minimal. If someone lacks any ID, he can vote so long as someone who lives in the same city vouches for him. The report found that in 2004 a total of 1,305 “same day” voters gave information that was declared “un-enterable” or invalid by election officials.

Democrat Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett was reportedly “very upset” at what his chief of staff called the “surprise release” of the police task force’ report on 2004 irregularities, which his office said was not “necessarily accurate” (though they declined to specify what in the report wasn’t correct).

Sandvick says the 2004 problems documented in the report pale in comparison to what could be expected today. According to the Journal, Sandvick’s unit “has found out-of-state groups registering their temporary workers, a college dorm with 60 voters who aren’t students, and what his unit believes are seven illegal absentee ballots.”

“Former police captain Glenn Frankovis” was quoted as saying that the issue of vote fraud “could be solved if [the police chief] would assign police officers to the polling locations as was customary about 20 years ago.”

Rather than do that, though, the police task force best versed in vote fraud tactics, and how to prevent them, has been told to stay home on election day.

Sandvick has said he is planning to retire in protest.