Tag: law enforcement
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Lincoln Co Sheriff’s lieutenant charged with drunk driving but 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.
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‘Hard worker’ cop with OWI given ‘second chance’ in Sheboygan County
A former Sheboygan police officer is now working part-time for the Cascade Police Department after an OWI arrest in 2022. His current police chief says he deserves a second chance.
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Ex-La Crosse cop accused of writing misleading report now at nearby PD
A long-time officer for the La Crosse Police Department resigned while under investigation for his report that differed from body camera footage of his interaction with a drunken motorist at Oktoberfest.
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Racine Co Sheriff’s Office investigator probed amid claims of sexual abuse
A deputy is being investigated after his wife got a restraining order against him and accused him of abusing her sexually for more than a decade.
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Richland Co Sheriff’s Office stakeouts uncovered deputy’s on-duty liaisons
A deputy and city alderman in western Wisconsin resigned after having repeated sexual meetings while on duty. The Viola Police Department still employs him.
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Four ex-Waukesha Co Sheriff’s deputies committed suicide in past decade
Some family members say department leadership is at least partly to blame, accusing it of ignoring struggling deputies. The department says it had mental health programs in place and has since increased them.
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State trooper caught drinking on duty in Waushara County facing criminal charge
Robert Bliven, a Wisconsin state trooper, was arrested in September after deputies investigated him for drinking on the job. They charged him with operating a firearm while intoxicated.
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“Pervasive, caustic atmosphere” of UW-La Crosse PD has improved, chief says
The police department was knocked for “shoddy record keeping” and a “lack of leadership” in a 2019 investigation. A police chief hired the same year says he’s made major changes to revamp the organization.
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Commander cited for disorderly conduct no longer employed by State Patrol
Ex-Captain Daniel Gruebele pleaded no contest to the citation last year. His last day as the commander of the Northeast Region in Fond du Lac came less than a week after The Badger Project reported the incident.
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Neenah cop quit last policing job amid accusations of sexist and racist remarks
Derrick Rotta resigned his police position in Menasha in 2024 after being investigated for an allegation that he was “the most racist person at the department.” The Neenah Police Department hired him last year.
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NE Wisconsin State Patrol head cited by deputies after girlfriend calls 911
Capt. Daniel Gruebele, commander of the State Patrol’s Northeast Region at the Fond du Lac post, was cited for disorderly conduct in the summer after his girlfriend accused him of coercive sexual behavior.
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Waushara County deputy quits sheriff’s office after The Badger Project’s reporting
Scott Schaut first quit a leadership position at the sheriff’s office after The Badger Project requested documents on his job performance. He resigned from the department entirely last week.
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Waukesha city cop ousted for OWI, fleeing crash, hired at county sheriff’s office
A veteran of the City of Waukesha Police Department quit in 2023 after he was arrested for driving drunk and knocking down a light pole with his Jeep. The Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office hired him in March.
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Wisconsin cop fired for offering driver cash after crash still working in policing
The Wisconsin State Fair Park Police Department fired Thomas Dammer after he caused a minor collision and didn’t immediately report it. He still works as a part-time police officer in Oconomowoc.