Police Chief: Morale is High on Third Shift

As the moves forward following the results of an internal investigation that led to the resignations of Lt. Craig Rivers and Police Officer Scott Heitman, a key component to moving forward will be communication, said Police Chief Russell Jack in an interview with Waukesha Patch.

Heitman resigned after admitting he smoked marijuana with Rivers. Rivers was facing a myriad of charges, including marijuana use, misconduct and insubordination, according to an internal investigation that was requested through an open records request by Waukesha Patch.

"We need to communicate the lessons learned with all of the employees here at the agency and use it to enhance our professionalism and our trust in supervision,” Jack said. “The department will continue despite the actions of these two former employees. The department itself is bigger than anyone of us, including these two former employees.”

When asked if things had changed on the late-night shift, which was supervised by Rivers until Aug. 23, 2010, when he was suspended with pay, Jack simply said “morale on the third shift right now is high.”

That wasn’t always the case. A nearly 400-page investigation report shows officers were stuck in a tough position when it came to working with Rivers.

The local police association’s president said he was approached by several times by officers about their concerns about Rivers’ “negative behavior and poor management style.”

“The general consensus was that Lt. Rivers was an ineffective leader and supervisor and the majority of the night shift officers had little confidence in his ability to manage, lead and unite the shift,” said the police union president said in the investigation report. “It appears Lt. Rivers consistently fails to follow standard operating procedures and likes to do things ‘his way.’ It was conveyed this confuses officers because they have to act and perform differently when Lt. Rivers is working compared to other supervisors.

“Officers are afraid to approach Lt. Rivers even though he claims to have an open-door policy. One particular officer went to Lt. Rivers with a concern and it turned into a ‘shouting match.’

“Another officer state Lt. Rivers ‘goes against the grain’ of everything the night shift is supposed to be doing.”

An off-duty incident at a wedding made several officers uncomfortable as Rivers and his then-girlfriend – who is now his wife – were seen going into a janitor’s closet. They also were dancing “inappropriately,” one night-shift officer said.

“Even though this was not a work-related event, many employees attended the reception,” the officer said. “Such conduct is inappropriate for anyone, especially my shift commander.”

Despite the disappointment that Jack said he has in Heitman’s and River’s actions, it appears the department is moving forward following the investigation and eventual removal of the two officers.

“The employees at the Waukesha Police Department operate under high standards of conduct,” Jack said. “It is administration's responsibility to maintain that high standard of conduct and professionalism.”