Nearly half of Wisconsin town’s police force resigns in one day
Only one full-time officer remains on the police force
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Your support makes all the difference.Nearly half of a Wisconsin town’s police force resigned in one day from what some described as a “toxic” work environment.
The Big Bend Police Department announced the decision last week in a Facebook post.
“We regrettably announce the resignation of the following officers: Sergeant [Jamie] Aide - 7 Years, Officer [Nathaniel] Schweitzer - 5 Years, Officer [Justin] Hennlich- 10 Years, Officer Honzelka - 1.5 Years, [and] Officer Soneberg - 3 years,” the statement read.
“All of the officers came from or currently work at other agencies.
“When including Chief Gaglione, these officers represent more than 125 years of total law enforcement experience. We wish them the best and sincerely thank them for their service to the Village of Big Bend and its residents over the past several years.”
According to The Mirror, some of the officers mentioned a toxic work environment in their resignation letters, citing it as one of the reasons for their decisions.
The five service members made up half of the town’s police department, according to WISN, in Milwaukee. The town’s Police Chief Don Gaglione suddenly passed away in October, which reportedly made relationships in the department even more strained.
According to the outlet, the officials resigned after they were informed of the village president’s decision to dissolve the Fire and Police Commission.
Initially, the town had three full-time and nine part-time officers three months ago, but that number has now dwindled to six, including just one full-time officer.
Based on the TV station’s report, additional resignations are expected.
In a statement, the police department tried to dispel rumours of the police department being shut down altogether.
“The Big Bend Police Department is still here and operational,” the statement read. “There are no plans to close down the police department.
“Please be assured that when you dial 911, a police officer will respond.”
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