Adam Olson resigned from his position as the second-ranking officer at the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office last year while under investigation for inappropriate relationships with female subordinates.

By Peter Cameron, THE BADGER PROJECT

The former chief deputy of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, who was forced out last year for romantic and sometimes sexual relationships with female subordinates, is now working in the neighboring county as a patrol officer at the Neillsville Police Department.

An investigation conducted by Jackson County Sheriff Duane Waldera last year and obtained by The Badger Project in a records request found that ex-Chief Deputy Adam Olson had inappropriate relationships with at least three female deputies and also the county’s then-HR director, while he was on duty. He was also accused of “hostile” or “negative” behavior towards some female employees over the course of many years, according to the investigation.

After 15 years of full-time employment there, Olson resigned from Jackson County in March of 2024 and was hired at the Neillsville Police Department in July of 2024, according to the state Department of Justice.

One female deputy at Jackson County, who said she had a flirtatious but not physical relationship with Olson, reported that he acted inappropriately towards her, such as pushing her against a wall at the courthouse and trying to kiss her. The deputy also told investigators that in a separate event, Olson had grabbed her thighs while she was sitting and said, “you know you want it.” While those encounters were consensual, the deputy said she refused Olson because he was married.

When that deputy, whose name is redacted in the investigation, started dating another employee of the sheriff’s office, she told investigators that Olson’s attention to her soured and became hostile. The deputy said she could not report to the HR director at the time, who is no longer employed by the county, because Olson was currently in a romantic relationship with her. She told investigators Olson forced her resignation from the office and blocked her from returning as a part-time employee.

Olson declined to comment for this story, said Neillsville Police Chief Jim Mankowski, his current boss.

Another female deputy, whose name is also redacted, told investigators she had a romantic relationship with Olson, which included oral sex, kissing, and groping in the office.

She feared for her job once Olson got romantically involved with the then-HR director, she reported.

A third female deputy said she had a flirtatious relationship with Olson in the office and sent nude photos to him, but that he cut her off after he started a relationship with the HR director at the time.

At one point during the investigation, Waldera wrote that he asked one of the female deputies reporting about Olson’s behavior how he “missed this type of activity,” noting he had never had to handle something like this. The deputy replied that is why he missed it, the sheriff wrote, even though “it was happening right in front of me and others.”

The sheriff promoted Olson twice, once from detective to captain, and then to deputy sheriff, while at least some of the relationships were happening, according to the investigation.

Olson’s behavior and subsequent job change have cost him a lot of cash. As the second-ranking officer in the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, he had an hourly wage of nearly $48. Now in Neillsville, he is making about $28 per hour, Mankowski said in an email.

Mankowski also said Olson was open and honest about the events that led to his resignation from the sheriff’s office during the interview process.

“I believe in evaluating someone’s entire career — not just a single moment in time — when determining whether they deserve a second chance,” Mankowski said. “Olson is an excellent police officer. Not only did he deserve that second chance, but the quality of his work since joining our team has been exceptional, and he has earned my respect.”

“That said, our department maintains a zero-tolerance policy for harassment, discrimination, or any behavior that creates a hostile work environment,” he continued. “Every member of this agency — including myself — is held to that standard, and violations will be dealt with swiftly and appropriately.”

The Badger Project is a nonpartisan, citizen-supported journalism nonprofit in Wisconsin.

FREE TO READ. EXPENSIVE TO PRODUCE.

Creating our in-depth journalism takes a lot of time and money.

A story like this requires at least 8 hours to research, write and edit.

Please consider supporting The Badger Project to help us do more nonpartisan journalism in the future.

Until the end of the year, all donations* will be MATCHED by NewsMatch.

*Up to $1,000 per person

CLICK TO DONATE