Category: Law enforcement
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Ex-Racine Co Sheriff’s investigator pleads guilty, gets jail time in wife abuse case
Jonathan Bechman worked for the sheriff’s department for 15 years before he pleaded guilty to three misdemeanors in a domestic abuse case involving his wife.
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Portage Co sergeant suspended after brawl outside neighbor’s house
Kevin Flick, a veteran at the Portage County Sheriff’s Office, got a one-day suspension after fighting with a man in April while off-duty.
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Portage County jailer resigns after arrest for fight with brother
Todd Domres, now a former corrections officer in the Portage County Jail, faces charges after he was accused of assaulting his brother during a fistfight in late July.
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Milwaukee-area cop who quit job after sexting with victim still in policing
Christopher Cheek was forced to resign from the Grafton Police Department after exchanging sexual messages with a victim in a pending criminal case. His current chief says the interactions were consensual.
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Beaver Dam cop arrested for domestic disorderly conduct in 2023
Michael Kuehn, a Beaver Dam patrolman for more than 20 years, was arrested for disorderly conduct in 2023 after his wife called 911 amid an argument. Both were cited.
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Sauk Co Sheriff has spent at least $4500 gassing up in NW Wisconsin with county credit card
Outgoing Sheriff Richard “Chip” Meister has repeatedly used a county fuel card to fill his department truck at spots as far as 220 miles from Sauk County, according to an investigation by The Badger Project.
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Wisconsin DOJ appeals decision ordering release of all cop names
The state Department of Justice appealed a ruling in a lawsuit brought by The Badger Project and the Invisible Institute ordering the agency to release the names and work histories of every cop in the state.
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Johnson Creek cop no longer employed after DUI arrest; may face more charges
The Johnson Creek Police Department stopped employing Peter Chin in June, about a month after his drunk driving arrest. The Waukesha County District Attorney is investigating him for potential, related criminal charges.
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Ex-Sheboygan Co deputy accused of threatening landlord hired by Marathon Co Sheriff
Former Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Deputy Jacob Mertzig was investigated in 2022 amid accusations from his landlords that he threatened to have code violations enforced against their properties. The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office hired him in 2025.
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Portage Co detective who quit after his arrest now working at Tomahawk PD
The wife of Detective John White called 911, accusing him of drunken, threatening behavior. A charge was later expunged, and White is back in policing. His chief says the incident was the only “hiccup” in his background.
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Ex-UW-Superior cop who quit amid complaints from female student employees working at Hayward PD
An investigation into Officer Jadon Stone’s conduct concluded the accusations were “credible,” but the Hayward Police chief “found nothing to disqualify him.”
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Waushara Co Sheriff’s Dept brass made $75k as small town cops, but arrested no one, wrote no tickets in 3 years
In the final years of the Coloma Police Department, two high-ranking Waushara County Sheriff’s Department officials made nearly $75,000 total for their part-time work running the village’s law enforcement agency.
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Waukesha County Sheriff’s deputy arrested for drunk driving
Daniel Matuszak has worked for the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office since 2022. Last month, he was pulled over by a fellow deputy and charged for drinking and driving. Now he’s on administrative leave.
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Lincoln Co Sheriff’s lieutenant charged with drunk driving, still working
Lt. Brian Burkhardt put his minivan into a ditch in January and was arrested for operating while intoxicated. His court case is ongoing.
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Portage cop resigned after being charged for UTV rollover that broke rider’s pelvis
Det. Sgt. Brian Johnson retired from policing soon after he was accused of crashing a UTV that badly injured one of his passengers in 2025. His criminal case is still pending.
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Ex-La Crosse cop arrested in Minnesota for DUI now working for Sparta PD
Riley Carroll resigned from the La Crosse Police Department in 2025, a few months after he was arrested for drunk driving in Minnesota. He was convicted of careless driving and now works at the police department in Sparta.
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Wisconsin DOJ must release statewide list of 16,000 cops, judge rules
A court sided with The Badger Project and the Invisible Institute in their lawsuit demanding a list of all police in the state from the Department of Justice, which had repeatedly rejected requests for it.
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Menasha PD hired a wandering officer. Now he’s been arrested and the city could get sued.
The city’s police department hired Cristian Morales in 2025 after he was forced out of another agency. He is now facing a felony for stalking his ex. Research says wandering officers are more likely to commit misconduct.