5/18/06

Well I can finally say it. It is no longer worth the fight. To all of you on this forum, WHBL, the NAD volunteers and the many others who have publicly supported the police department through these trying times I say thank you. Your kind words and support have been invaluable to keep up the morale at the SPD.

I will begin polishing up my resume and seeking employment elsewhere. This is not an easy decision for me to do and one that I have struggled with in the past. I absolutely love Sheboygan and this community. I love the lake and everything that this town provides. The changes that are occurring along the riverfront excite me and are going to make Sheboygan an even greater place to live.

I have been in Sheboygan for several years and have been a resident of this city since I moved here to take a job with SPD. Since that time I got married and have had children. My wife has encouraged me to leave Sheboygan on several occasions and move closer to her family. This has been a source of friction in our marriage but my dedication to the SPD and the city has kept my family here all of these years. A move from Sheboygan would also put me closer to my family and allow my children to get to know their grandparents. Once again my loyalty to this community took priority over this.

Many of you don't know the sacrifices the men and woman of the SPD have made to serve this city. I am not asking for sympathy but just want you to understand what it is we have to go through.

On most of my days off I end up having to go to court. This makes it impossible to have any definite plans and to enjoy a whole day with my family.

When I go out to eat or go to the store I constantly run into people whom I have arrested. Some of these people are looking at going to prison for a very long time. This makes it almost impossible for me to relax for a "night out on the town" with my family because I am concerned for their safety.

I worry about who might find out where I live and possible retaliation that may harm my family for something I did trying to keep sheboygan safe.

Many family events I am unable to attend because all of our family lives out of town. I have missed weddings, Christmas's, Thanksgiving, Easter, New Years, Birthday parties etc... on several occasions because duty has called.

At any given moment officers can be called into work because the city needs us.

These are just a few of the sacrifices we make but the list could go on and on. I have never grumbled about these because I understand that it goes with the job.

As I've been talking with my coworkers over the past few days there is a common theme that if this takeover occurs we are all out of here. Some will get out of law enforcement completely, others will move to other cities and so forth. Others besides myself are already sending out applications. What has led up to this you might ask and why won't the city cops just go work for the county?

First of all I want to say that our sheriff's department is a good organization and they do a good job. I would never belittle any of them and know several of them on a personal and professional level. They are good people and will do a good job serving you if you so wish.

For me to go work for the county I would lose all my seniority. Now that might not seem like a big deal but this would mean that I would have to go back to working nights or evenings. A sacrifice my family has already made to Sheboygan. My family likes me having a normal schedule like every one else. My pay would be drastically cut. My hours of work would increase. Take all these things and it only makes sense for me to leave and be closer to family.

What has finally made me say enough is enough is that it no longer seems the majority of Sheboygan's good citizens care what happens to Sheboygan or appreciate the work we do. The police station is a prime example. The site chosen was the one place we did not want to build. Our input didn't matter. Many officers have worked long hours to try and stop the drugs and gangs coming into this town. Now the council wants to turn these duties over to the Sheriff's Dept. Once again we don't matter. We endorse candidate who are pro law enforcement, pro Sheboygan, pro public safety. Sheboygan has decided to elect candidates who oppose what we stand for instead. Our opinion once again does not matter. No matter what we try and say nobody in this town believes us.

I have arrested hundreds of drunk drivers. I have served tons of search warrants, arrested several drug dealers, gang members etc. My resume is very lengthy and where ever I end up getting hired I will have an immediate impact on the quality of life in that community for the better. My replacement here will be a rookie who will take years to gain this type of experience and may never have close to the same impact. You will save money because he will start at a lower salary than what I currently get paid.

And really that's what it all comes down to. This community has decided the police are not worth it. They don't need a new building. If we do get a new building it is not going to be the facility we need because it is more important to save money. A workout room is too much to ask for in the new building because it costs money. The experienced officer's cost too much so let's cut their jobs and save money by hiring the county.

Good Luck Sheboygan, I hope everything works out well for you in whatever you decide. I'm not risking my families safety anymore to stick around and find out.

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