Police and Fire Commission Meeting

MINUTES CITY OF WAUPUN Police & Fire Commission (PFC) Meeting Waupun Safety Building – 16 E. Main Street, Waupun Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at 4:30pm Upon reasonable notice, efforts will be made to accommodate disabled individuals through appropriate aids and services. For additional information, contact the City Clerk at 920-324-7915. CALL TO ORDER Meeting convened at 4:30pm by PFC President. ROLL CALL Present: John Bett (PFC Vice President), Teresa Heidemann (PFC Citizen), Bobbi Jo Kunz (Council Member-Ex Officio), Tara Rhodes (PFC Citizen/Secretary, arrived 4:48p), Mike Thurmer (PFC Citizen/President), WPD Chief Jeremy Rasch, WFD Chief BJ DeMaa Member(s) absent (excused): Bambi Buchholz (PFC Citizen) Guests: N/A PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE POLICE AND FIRE COMMISSION / PUBLIC COMMENT Pam Streekstra, address provided, addressed the Commission. No Public Participation after this point. MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS Minutes from the July 17, 2024 meeting were presented for approval. Motion to approve minutes as submitted by J. Bett, T. Heidemann second; all in favor, motion passed. GENERAL DISCUSSION AND EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION CONCERNING THE NORMAL OPERATIONS OF THE WAUPUN POLICE DEPARTMENT (WPD) AND WAUPUN FIRE DEPARTMENT (WFD) WFD/EMR Updates provided by Chief DeMaa: Fire Staffing/Recognition: - Two recent hires enrolled in Firefighter I classes through MPTC; two Youth Apprentice firefighters currently working at the department - 150th Anniversary on October 7. Thank you to all who attended and to Waupun Historical Society for collaboration. - The WFD received the Larry Ceretto Fire Safety Education Award from the Professional Fire Fighters of WI Charitable Foundation. This award recognizes a fire department whose commitment to fire safety has attained a high level of quality and integrity that had been the characteristic of one of Wisconsin’s most admired in the fire service, Larry Ceretto. - Recruitment and Retention Committee has reached out to the school district to find more ways to interact with students, met with the Beaver Dam Fire Department to understand their Cadet program and hosted “The Modern Day Recruiter” class (30 attendees from 9 different departments attended). Community Engagement: - Fire Prevention Week theme “Smoke Alarms – Make Them Work For You” included 1100 student participants and amazing support from the firefighters this year. - Assisted Rec Department with their giant Slip-n-Slide at Juniper Hill and Water Sprinkler at their end of year party. Operations: - City and Township Chairmen have met to see if there is still interest in moving forward with consolidation discussions. There is still interest from all sides to understand how it would look. - Received $4,900 donation from Flint Hills to be used for multiple purchases (firefighting foam, binoculars & spotting scope, absorbent socks, iPad, battery operated chain saw). - City is exploring vendors that could help identify what the future of the Public Safety building may need to look like as service models change. This is prework that may be very important when details of the Innovation Grant are released from the State. - Very busy with fire inspections (occupancy, ownership changes, kitchen hood systems). EMR Staffing: - Two candidates working through the hiring process; one resignation. Community Engagement: - Met with FDL County Health to talk about the placement of a Narcan box located in the City. Operations: - Will be conducting joint training with SSM Health – Waupun Memorial Hospital this month. - Working with on formatting the City’s Emergency Operations Plan. WPD updates provided by Chief Rasch: Staffing/Recognition: - Our current staff level is 15 sworn personnel and 2 non-sworn personnel. We currently have 2 vacant Patrol Officer positions. A hiring process is open for Patrol Officer vacancies. - Officer Cupery and Officer Roberts completed Field Training. - Officer Brice graduated from police recruit school and is currently in field training. - Command staff is fully hired: Patrol Lieutenant Navis and Investigative Lieutenant Williams were sworn in. - Officer Schnell has been selected to be a Field Training Officer and will attend training in late October. - Currently have an investigator position budgeted for 2025 with plans to hire for this position upon approval of the budget. - Utilizing radio spots as recruitment tool and will be reaching out to technical schools to inquire about any unsponsored students. - The Lake Winnebago Area Meg Unit received the Drug Unit of the Year Award at the WI Narcotics Officers’ Association Conference. Lieutenant Williams is an investigator with the unit. - Nine officers assisted with the dignitary response and protection efforts in Ripon and Juneau. Officers were assigned to each event; Secret Service acknowledged large size of support; Homeland Security also present. Community Engagement: - Meetings: FDL County Communication Review Board, Dodge County Traffic Safety Commission, Waupun Correctional Disturbance Response, Salvation Army of Dodge County, WASD School Safety, FDL County Sexual Assault Response Team, Dodge County Drug Task Force Board, Lake Winnebago Area Meg Unit Board - Events: WBEV Community Comment Radio Shows, Wisconsin National Guard Blackhawk Event, Waupun PD K9 Brat Fry Fundraiser, Waupun Business Alliance Coffee Connection Events, Police Lights of Christmas Fundraiser at Culver’s (raised $2800 for families in need), Special Olympics Cops on a Rooftop Fundraiser at Dunkin Donuts ($1600 raised), Senior Citizen Appreciation Day at the Senior Center, Little Steps, Big Futures: Child Development Resource Expo – Meadowview Primary, 911 Silent Parade (Juneau), Homecoming parade Operations: - Training: staff has attended and participated in numerous training events during quarter 3 and will continue to train heavily through the winter months. We will continue to partner and train with other  agencies in the upcoming months. Numerous staff will attend Crime Scene Response/Investigative training in Dodge County in late October. We are hosting an Active Shooter Incident Management course in January 2025. Listed below is some of the training we participated in during the 3rd quarter. o Firearms Trainings (Department wide, at new range), K9 Trainings (Officer Halverson), SWAT Trainings (Officer Halverson), Active Shooter Training w/Dodge County SO (multiple officers), WI FBINAA Training (Chief Rasch/Deputy Chief Sullivan), Active Threat Reunification Drill Dodge County (Deputy Chief Sullivan), Emergency Vehicles Operation and Control Power Point and Track (Department wide), National Incident Based Reporting System training (Danyelle DeBoer/Dawn Greenfield), Tint Meter Operator Training (Officer Warner), Investigative Report Writing (Officer Knudson), Internet Crimes Against Children Training (Lieutenant Williams) o Conferences: WI Narcotics Officers’ Association Conference (Lieutenant Williams), CIB Conference (Danyelle DeBoer) o Jeremiah Winscher, Special Agent In Charge/Project Director Division of Criminal Investigation/Lake Winnebago Area MEG – Drug Unit, recently spoke at a Common Council meeting about the current drug trends in our region. - Equipment: K9 bullet resistant vest was purchased through donations and the K9 Fund; department looking at purchasing Flock Cameras through donations and Operations/Investigative budget. Investigations: o Drug Investigation Convictions - A 30-year-old Waupun woman was recently sentenced to prison as a result of a drug investigation and search warrant conducted in May 2023. She was convicted for Maintaining a Drug Trafficking House and 2 counts of Child Neglect. Additionally, a 47-year-old Pardeeville man was convicted and sentenced to prison for Possession w/the Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine, Felony Bail Jumping, and Resist/Obstruct an Officer. o Complex Investigations: death, multiple drug, multiple sexual assault, multiple burglaries, multiple child pornography and Internet crime Against Children cases; also assisting ATF with two Federal cases, suspicious activities, invasion of privacy (extends to other municipalities), school threats, and follow-up from ongoing homicide cases and a felony OWI incident. A stolen firearm was located and turned over to FDL County Sheriff. CLOSED SESSION The Waupun Police and Fire Commission adjourned into closed session under Section 19.85 (1) (c) of the WI Statutes to conduct an interview with a qualified applicant for employment for the open Patrol Officer position. (c) Considering employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility. Motion to go into Closed Session at 5:29pm was made by J. Bett, T. Heidemann second; all in favor, motion passed (Chief DeMaa exited meeting at start of closed session). OPEN SESSION The Waupun Police and Fire Commission reconvened in open session under Section 19.85(2) of the WI Statutes at 6:06pm after motion from J. Bett, T. Rhodes second; all in favor, motion passed. ACTION FROM CLOSED SESSION Motion at 6:07pm to extend conditional offer to candidate C. Hensen was made by T. Rhodes, J. Bett second; all in favor, motion passed. FUTURE MEETINGS AND GATHERING INVOLVING THE POLICE AND FIRE COMMISSION The next Commission meeting is to-be-determined. The PFC meets quarterly, at minimum. If necessary, please send any agenda requests to Chief DeMaa or Chief Rasch so appropriate preparation(s) can be made. Upon reasonable notice, efforts will be made to accommodate disabled individuals through appropriate aids and services. For additional information, contact the City Clerk at 920-324-7915. ADJOURNMENT Motion at 6:10pm to adjourn meeting made by T. Heidemann, T. Rhodes second; all in favor, motion passed. Respectfully submitted, Tara Rhodes, Secretary