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2022 ANNUAL REPORT www appletonpd org APPLETON POLICE DEPARTMENT
2022 ANNUAL REPORT NOTE FROM CHIEF OLSON Thank you for reading our 2022 Annual Report www appletonpd org Our staff has been extremely busy and I am very proud of their excellent service They have lived up to the longstanding rich traditions and high standards of the Appleton Police Department and continue to raise that bar higher Within the pages of this report you will see a glimpse into some of these fine efforts Chief Todd Thomas announced his retirement for the first week of January 2023 which led the Police Fire Commission to their extensive search for a new Chief of Police which they found right within our Department I was thrilled to be selected to lead this incredible Department building on a firm foundation as we go forth into the future Staffing shortages led us to create a recruitment team The team came up with and implemented many creative ideas to assist in recruitment efforts resulting in hiring eleven new officers five new Community Service Officers and two civilian employees in 2022 and doing the legwork to have eight new officers sworn in the first two weeks of 2023 Officers partnered in the Kiwanis n Cops n Kids program reading books to children throughout the community Additionally they participated in many more community events like Lights of Christmas National Night Out Neighborhood Watch Citizens Public Safety Academy Fraud Squad Special Olympics and Fox Cities Kidz Expo We held our first Women in Public Safety community outreach program giving young women an opportunity to explore careers in public safety now an annual event With the hire of K9 Handler Officer Joshua Rieth we also acquired a fully trained law enforcement K9 named Onyx They are a great addition to our K9 Unit and team in patrol The entire staff of our Administrative Services Unit has been cross trained which has created many efficiencies and streamlined processing records The year ahead holds great promise as we look forward to full staffing a greater emphasis on partnerships within the community focus on traffic safety and the reduction of drug involved crime and nuisance properties Chief Polly Olson Appleton Police Department
www appletonpd org 2022 ANNUAL REPORT PROMOTIONS
AWARDS 2021
AWARDS 2021 Bill Wetzel Civilian Community Service Shelby Ludwikowski Civilian Community Service Danny Ludwikowski Civilian Medal of Gallantry Sara Froeming Volunteer of the Year LCSO Matt Fillebrown Civilian Employee of the Year Lt Ty West Off Cole Kantner Off Tony Jenkins Off Jack Doemel Off Ben Goodin Off Skylar Corbett Off Calvin Manuel Off Blake Herbert Team Award Off Dylan Grier Welch Off Taylor Justice Off Casey Spencer Meritorious Service Sgt Carrie Peters Humanitarian Award Off Payne Hughes Life Saving Medal Ret Sgt Arnie Nettekoven Sgt arnie Nettekoven Lifetime Service Award
AWARDS 2021 Sgt Matthew Kuether Investigator of the Year In 2021 Sgt Matthew Kuether worked tirelessly on numerous complex and challenging investigations He has always handled his assignments with the utmost attention to detail a positive attitude and an unparalleled strong work ethic Additionally Sgt Kuether consistently mentors patrol officers and new investigators and is always willing to help when called upon A few examples of the complex investigations Sgt Kuether worked were a fatal vehicular crash at Oneida and Calumet Street being operated by an individual under the influence of controlled substances a drugrelated shooting at a residence a shooting at a downtown night club and a fatal shooting inside of a residence later determined to be legal self defense He was able to successfully investigate these situations to resolution Officer Taylor Warmbier Patrol Officer of the Year Officer Taylor Warmbier consistently exhibits a strong work ethic and a high level of investigative ability He spent much of his downtime in 2021 focusing on proactive policing through interdiction stops Officer Warmbier s fine efforts often resulted in felony arrests These investigations produced criminal charges such as possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine possession with intent to deliver cocaine and felon in possession of a firearm Additionally Officer Warmbier recovered a stolen vehicle and multiple fraudulent checks Officer Warmbier s dedication in 2021 most certainly prevented countless other crimes from occurring and he continues to exceed the standards set forth
AWARDS 2022
AWARDS 2022 Dennis Davey Civilian Community Service Chelsey Simoni Civilian Community Service Lea Seefeldt Volunteer of the Year Sara Derks Civilian Employee of the Year LT Tyrell West SGT Lori Duven Officer Cole Kantner Officer Skylar Corbett Officer Benjamin McMillan Officer Blake Herbert Team Award SGT Chad Riddle Meritorious Service SGT Mike Medina Meritorious Service SGT Pat Tooley Meritorious Service Officer Samuel Gueli Meritorious Service SGT Chad Probst Distinguished Service Medal SGT Mark Moderson Distinguished Service Medal Officer Nate Franzke NEPD Life Saving Medal Officer Bryce Rudebeck Officer Anthony Shuman Officer Anthony Jenkins Police Star Medal Officer Brandon Schnese Investigator of the Year SGT Brandon Edwards Patrol Officer of the Year
AWARDS 2022 Officer Brandon Schnese Investigator of the Year In 2022 Officer Brandon Schnese s consistency not only in his casework but within the schools is deserving of this award As an informal leader of the SRO unit he is respected by his peers not only for his knowledge but for his work drive and ability to effectively communicate his empathy when working with others He has also been recognized by outside entities for his representation of our agency including by hospital staff and county personnel His compassion and empathy for victims of sensitive crimes and those in crisis have been regularly noticed In 2022 Officer Schnese had multiple significant cases where he was able to demonstrate his ability to investigate challenging situations and put forth extra effort These cases have led to significant charges Furthermore his assistance with SIU during the summer produced significant drug and felony arrests Sergeant Brandon Edwards Patrol Officer of the Year i Sergeant Brandon Edwards is a selfless hard worker He is a true steward of how people view police officers within our community In 2022 Sergeant Brandon Edwards had numerous people reach out to give thanks for how they were treated by him His professional approach and compassion are regularly recognized by his peers supervisors and the community With his calm presence he has an amazing capability to de escalate situations and find a resolution Additionally his work goes beyond his interactions with the community He thoroughly documents his work and produces above standard reports It is no surprise that with his positive work ethic he is a primary field training officer for our department
www appletonpd org 2022 Annual Report Lt Adam Nagel graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico VA Session 284 He is the 11th officer in the history of the Appleton Police Department to graduate from this prestigious program Lt Meghan Cash was selected as a Future 15 winner by the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce and Pulse Young Professionals Network along with other emerging leaders from throughout the Fox Cities
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES UNIT The Administrative Services Unit is comprised of a Records Unit and the Front Desk Unit The APD Records Unit processes thousands of police field reports including incident reports traffic citations ordinance tickets warnings accident reports and warrants In 2022 they became completely cross trained within the unit and began working in a number based assignment system which greatly streamlined efficiencies They also field numerous inquiries from the public and process open records requests The Front Desk Unit is comprised of Police Communications Specialists who field tens of thousands of incoming phone calls issue animal licenses and do a myriad of additional work duties They also handle walk in traffic into the lobby and answer the non emergency phone calls
www appletonpd org APD VOLUNTEERS The Appleton Police Department s volunteer program was formalized in 1995 and currently has over 50 volunteers These volunteers donated in excess of 4 500 hours in 2022 handling tasks like digitizing police reports clerical assignments filing documenting our Department s rich history giving guided tours donning the McGruff costume helping with community events shredding documents and countless other projects Their involvement at the Department enriches our days gives us unique perspectives and allows us to accomplish more than we otherwise could They share their talents and time so freely and we are most fortunate to have these volunteers as part of our APD team
2022 ANNUAL REPORT www appletonpd org INVESTIGATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES UNITS
2022 ANNUAL REPORT MAJOR CASES www appletonpd org February 13th 2022 we investigated a shooting in the 1300 block of W College Ave Several rounds were discharged and one individual suffered gunshot wounds after a disturbance at a bar The SU in the shooting was a resident of MN and was arrested convicted and sentenced for his role in the shooting June 6th 2022 investigators were called in to investigate the deaths of two individuals in the 600 block of W Third St The incident involved a 35 year old female and a 32 year old male The incident was found to be a murder suicide On November 15th 2022 a 31 year old male was found deceased from a gunshot wound in the 700 block of W Summer St A 54 year old male was arrested for 1st degree intentional homicide after an extensive investigation That case is currently in the court system
SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT SIU The Special Investigations Unit is a partnership between the Appleton Police Department and the Outagamie County Sheriff s Department Some of the statistics from their 2022 accomplishments are Search Warrants USMS Searches ACT 79 Consent 92 Felony Warrant Arrests 88 Felony Probable Cause Arrests 80 Firearms Seized 37 The Special Investigations Unit participated in Operation Honey Badger with the US Marshal Service focusing on apprehending violent fugitives in the Eastern District of Wisconsin Additionally this Unit created and or assisted on cases run by the Lake Winnebago MEG Unit holding dozens of drug traffickers accountable for their participation in the sale of controlled substances
INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES UNIT ISU The Investigative Services Unit is comprised of investigators with specialized training and years of experience working complex cases They investigate major felonies such as homicides sexual assaults burglaries and robberies Investigators work closely with patrol officers to identify witnesses preserve crime scenes gather critical information and develop leads Rapidly changing technology has increased the burden to provide and maintain certain types of evidence Some investigators specialize in computer forensics pulling evidence from computers and cell phones
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS SRO The School Resource Officers Unit is possible through a cooperative agreement with the Appleton Area School district The partnership between the AASD and the APD has been in place for more than forty years We currently have twelve officers providing services to over 16 000 AASD students The SRO Unit also provides services for the private schools in the City of Appleton on an as needed basis The officers working with the schools investigate criminal issues but more importantly are there as a resource to students families and staff The SRO Unit continues to ensure the welfare and safety of the students we serve Officer Brandon Schnese traveled to Alexandria VA on September 12th and 13th for meetings held by the National Criminal Justice Training Center They discussed missing runaway and child exploitation cases The goal was to garnish field information from the following areas Promising practices and or gaps in response for missing and runaways Identification of specific skills and knowledge needed to connect missing persons investigations to investigation involving violent and exploitive crimes identification of core components of endangered missing cases Use of harm reduction models Use of a collaborative MDT resources The information collected serves as a basis for development of a training program aimed at improving the response to Endangered and Missing Children
SUPPORT SERVICES UNIT SSU NEW HIRES Officers CSOs Charles Allen Mason Ballweg William Berens Robert DiFrancesco Benjamin Howard Noah Manser Benjamin McMillan Joshua Rieth Yeeleng Thor Michael Turner Samuel VanDinter Landen Christen Blake Derge Allan Garcia Owen Halls Justin Lamers Dylan Olson Tyler Piton Hayden Stelter Records Brooke Schmidt The Appleton Police Department holds the highest standards for hiring training and retraining its personnel We are grateful for the ability to accommodate in house training The Department actively seeks to recruit quality candidates to maintain authorized staffing levels of 114 sworn officers and 27 civilians Communication Specialists Lyric Arneson Morgan Kroll
2022 ANNUAL REPORT www appletonpd org The majority of Appleton s sworn police officers 79 are assigned to the Operations Unit and they serve as the department s most visible component the uniformed police officer For the most effective and efficient delivery of police services the Operations Unit consists of three geographic patrol districts Northern Downtown and Southern Under the direction of a supervisory team each district group is tasked with developing strategies and practices primarily designed to Respond to investigate and prevent crime Address public safety problems brought to their attention like traffic safety issues and entertainment district order maintenance Prevent and deter quality of life problems through collaboration with other government departments human service agencies schools and advocacy groups Nearly all incidents and investigations in which the APD is involved begin with the uniformed police officer We are proud of our uniformed officers versatile skills which are the hallmark of our agency OPERATIONS
2022 ANNUAL REPORT www appletonpd org CALLS FOR SERVICE FULL YEAR 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Sex Crimes 71 67 70 78 66 Robbery 19 25 19 18 10 Assault Intimidation 678 786 754 786 731 Burglary 144 111 135 120 117 Thefts Auto Thefts 590 677 858 673 734 Frauds 419 414 528 582 449 Damage to Property 520 520 605 572 633 Weapons 24 49 39 62 56
2022 ANNUAL REPORT APPLETON POLICE DEPARTMENT S K9 UNIT 2022 K9 Unit Overall Deployment Statistics Narcotics 194 Explosives Detection 28 Patrol 38 Parcel Sniff 1 Article Search 1 Deployments 268 Track 6 Arrests 54 K9 Faro Narcotics Detection and Patrol and K9 Handler Sgt Craig Rohm K9 Ion Explosive Detection and Patrol and K9 Handler Sgt David Schneider K9 Zuul Narcotics Detection and Patrol and K9 Handler Sgt Tom Zieman K9 Onyx Narcotics Detection and Patrol and K9 Handler Officer Joshua Rieth
APPLETON POLICE TRAFFIC SAFETY UNIT 2022 ANNUAL REPORT Traffic complaints are frequently the most reported complaints made to the Police Department and City Alderpersons The Appleton Police Department is committed to the safe travels of all motorists pedestrians and bicyclists The Traffic Safety Unit was created with the goal of increasing traffic enforcement reducing traffic crashes reducing property damage and preventing injury and death on Appleton s roadways The Traffic Safety Unit uses a data driven approach for traffic enforcement Data analytics from crash data citizen complaints and speed studies are used to identify traffic emphasis area 2022 Traffic Safety Officer Statistics Traffic Stops 881 OWI Arrests 15 Accident Investigations 114 Warnings Issued 721 Citations Issued 354
COMMUNITY RESOURCE UNIT The mission of The Appleton Police Department s Community Resource Unit is to enhance the trust built and collaboration fostered by all APD staff between our department and our community We strive to create a safe and open environment in which our residents can work with us to ensure a safe and secure community Through combined efforts we build strong relationships between our police department and the community improve crime prevention and safety and increase the efficiency of our services We are committed to providing accurate timely and meaningful information about our services and resources to the public The Community Resource Unit is comprised of the Victim Services Officer Facility K9 Behavioral Health Officer Threat Assessment Officer Community Liasion Officer Operations Coordinator Public Information Officer and a Clinical Social Worker
VICTIM SERVICE OFFICER Sgt Lori Duven The Appleton Police Department strives to treat victims of violent crimes with dignity respect compassion and fairness Sergeant Lori Duven serves as Appleton s Victim Services Officer working as the liaison between survivors of violent crimes and the criminal justice system Sgt Duven is the direct point of contact for both survivors and service organizations providing case status updates follow up investigations and information or support resources for victims of violent crimes Understanding that many incidents go unreported Sgt Duven strives to reach out to those targeted or affected to connect them with support resources available in our community by coordinating with numerous community based groups related to victim services
FACILITY K9 Edison Edison an expertly trained facility dog provided by Canine Companions He assists handler Sergeant Lori Duven during her work as the Victim Services Officer by utilizing some of the 40 commands he knows Edison s skills are used to motivate and increase confidence in children and assist crime victims and other vulnerable populations we serve During his time at APD Edison has supported victims and witnesses during interviews and is present during some court procedures
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OFFICER Ofc Dylan Grier Welch As the new Behavior Health Officer I have been actively involved in responding to mental health and AODA related calls for service Many of the calls for service have included utilizing our embedded clinical therapist Sarah Peterson On these types of calls I have been able to establish connections with the community members in crisis and assist them with getting the immediate and appropriate help they need for a wide variety of concerns A main reason for my ability to do this is the strong working relationships our police department has with community partners that serve as a excellent resource for the individual s needs Dylan Grier Welch
THREAT ASSESSMENT OFFICER Sgt Dane Coonen The Appleton Threat Assessment Officer TAO serves as the lead facilitator for the Department and the community for directing resources toward impacting violent threats involving firearms dangerous weapons and the threat of other forms of violence which may lead to death or great bodily harm Sgt Coonen ultimately identifies assesses and responds to identifiable community or individual threat s by internal and external referrals utilizing threat assessment techniques and intelligence based policing strategies He assesses information that may develop into possible future violent crime such as reports of workplace violence stalking bullying long developing disputes and conflicts by using threat assessment analysis and techniques The TAO coordinates with the Appleton Area School District on issues related to the Threat Assessment Team Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support PBIS Safe School Committee school lockdown protocols school security equipment upgrade and maintenance recommendations and educating school staff students and the community on topics effecting school safety and security Sgt Coonen collaborates with other members of the Community Resource Unit and other specialized units to conduct community business security assessments along with having a working relationship with State and Federal agencies to include FBI ATF DEA and DCI
COMMUNITY LIASON OFFICER Sgt Christopher Biese The Appleton Police Department strives to reduce crime and improve quality of life in partnership with the community we serve Sgt Biese serves as the Community Liaison Officer Our CLO delivers and supports ever evolving prevention and safety programs and maintains close partnerships with organizations agencies and community members The CLO employs strategies ranging from personal safety to CPTED Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design and coordinates resources to combat current crime trends and future threats Where you see Neighborhood Watch Crime Free Multi Housing or safety and prevention presentations know the Appleton Police Department is close at hand and ready to assist
OPERATIONS COORDINATOR Sgt John Ostermeier The Operations Coordinator is responsible for planning and coordinating the police department s role in special events including representing the police department on the Appleton Parade Committee the Octoberfest Committee and the Appleton Special Event Committee This position manages various grants overtime assignments special event staffing and contract work for off duty police services The Operations Coordinator investigates violations of the Appleton Tow Ordinance and manages the next up towing call list In addition to these functions the Operations Coordinator works closely with the Community Service Officers and covers patrol assignments as needed
PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER Lt Meghan Cash The public information officer PIO is responsible for communicating information to the public on behalf of the Appleton Police Department These duties typically include writing and distributing press releases responding to media inquiries managing social media accounts and organizing public events The ultimate goal of the PIO is to ensure accurate and timely information is disseminated to the public and to enhance relationships with community partners
CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER Sarah Peterson MSW LCSW Sarah Peterson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with Outagamie County Crisis When asked about her work with the Appleton Police Department Sarah said I absolutely love my job because every day is different I am able to meet and work with a wide variety of people I am very excited for the opportunity to work with law enforcement as a part of the CCRT Officers are typically the first responders for mental health crisis and this position gives mental health professionals the opportunity to intervene at the beginning of a crisis rather than at the end
Through community problem solving and collaboration supported by the NEW Mental Health Connection as well as the financial support of the City of Appleton Outagamie County and local funders United Way Fox Cities and the Bright Ideas Fund at the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region the Appleton Police Department launched the Community Crisis Response Team in January of 2022 along with the addition of a clinical therapist Sarah Peterson MSW LCSW an Outagamie County Clinical Therapist was embedded in the Appleton Police Department to expand and bolster efforts to provide excellent service to the community Peterson s position was the first of its kind at the department and has improved the way providers can deliver critical services to a person in crisis Utilizing a multidisciplinary approach Sarah responds with patrol officers as part of the Community Crisis Response Team on the second shift in 2022 During the first year of the pilot the Appleton Police Department has seen a reduction in the number of emergency detentions when the CCRT is involved in calls for service and the team has enhanced the response for community members in crisis The Co Responder Team hours of operation are 3 PM 11 PM Monday Friday Initial Assessment of the CCRT Program Reduction in Re Traumatization Increased Continuity of Care Across Providers Increased Safety Plans which have led to a reduction in Emergency Detentions Enhanced working Relationships Between LE and Mental Health Clinician
COMMUNITY OUTREACH The Citizen s Public Safety Academy we hold along with the Appleton Fire Department continues to be a popular event each year The academy runs weekly for three months and provides an inside glimpse at law enforcement and fire rescue through tours presentations and interactive activities Each year it provides a more in depth working knowlege of policies procedures and the personnel of our Police and Fire Departments
2022 ANNUAL REPORT COMMUNITY OUTREACH
In March of 2022 the Appleton Police Department hosted its first Women in Public Safety Day The one day event gave participants a first hand account of careers in public safety Young women ages 15 to 20 had hands on experience led by local women in the professions of police fire EMT corrections dispatch and legal services The event was a success and the second annual event took place in early 2023 with plans for a third in 2024
53 2 67 F ollow ers 8 17 0 Fo llow ers 600 Follo wer s 168 Sub scrib ers 2 67 8 Fo llow ers SOCIAL MEDIA REACH Appleton Police Department 222 S Walnut Street Appleton WI 54911 920 832 5500 www appletonpd org