UNIDENTIFIED PAPER

From 1939 thru 1986 the Waupaca Police Department made several changes within it’s make-up. New ideas were coming from all levels of Law Enforcement. We either had to change or remain stagnant. Chief Jones in 1939 and Chief Pound in 1945 stressed training and were able to start sending their officers to various locations around the State of Wisconsin for Police Courses. It was not until 1951 with the coming of Chief Bucholtz that an acceptable overall training program was put into use. Chief Bucholtz had served the Milwaukee Police Department for many years and brought with him many new ways of conducting Police business. He insisted on training and updating equipment as needed. He was able to bring the department up to acceptable standards thru much hard work. He taught investigation courses, crime scene, murder and rape, robber and burglary courses. He had the first hand knowledge thru his own years as an investigator. Chief Bucholtz retired in 1958 and Fred Rasmussen was appointed to replace him.

Rasmussen, upon his appointment asked the Mayor and City Council for additional Police Officers. The City agreed and two more men were appointed. Rasmussen also requested that all members of the Department be directed to attend a minimum of 40 hours each year at Police School. Again the City agreed. The Department kept a staff of seven men until 1968 when they moved to new quarters. The Department took over all dispatching of Ambulance and Fire Equipment and became manned within the building on a 24 hour per day basis. In 1975 the Department hired enough new officers to have 11 sworn officers and 4 full time radio-telephone operators.

The officers are presently trained in:

In 1985 the department computerized. All arrests, juvenile apprehensions, accidents, as well as all the areas where we cover for the Fire Department were placed on discs. Doing so has decreased response time. We feel that thru the fire calls alone we have given the public much better service than in the past.