Turnover in the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department, body cameras, improving morale, collaboration with other agencies, and crime spilling over from Milwaukee were the focal points during the Waukesha County Sheriff’s forum this week.
The forum, held at local GOP headquarters, featured the two Republican candidates vying to replace outgoing Sheriff Eric Severson. They are John Gscheidmeier, who is a former Glendale police officer, a Waukesha County supervisor and realtor; and Sheriff’s Capt. Nick Ollinger, who is regarded as a protege of Severson, who has endorsed him. The election is on Aug. 11.
Terry Dittrich, Waukesha County GOP chair, gushed about both candidates after the well-attended forum, enthusing, “Aren’t we lucky to have these two individuals?” His comment was met with applause. Dittrich then joked that he wished Waukesha County could build a “wall” to keep crime from flowing into Waukesha County. That comment was in reaction to Ollinger’s revelation that 40-45 percent of the Waukesha County Jail population typically hails from east of the county. Dittrich also commented that Waukesha County deserves more resources from the state. Ollinger said he would work with legislators to prevent Waukesha County from becoming a criminal justice “turnstile” like Milwaukee County.
Gscheidmeier emphasized the turnover in the department, revealing that 35% of the department has quit in the last 3.5 years, mostly resignations. Over 50% of correctional officers have left, he said, adding, “Morale is lower than it has ever been. 35% is unacceptable. They (administrators) have a problem on their hands.” He said that he wanted to focus on growth and development of staff to improve retention by making people feel valuable and heard.
Ollinger agreed that retention is an issue, asserted that the agency already conducts exit interviews, and said that the Sheriff’s Department is “not immune” to industry trends that have seen many agencies struggle to retain and recruit staff. Gscheidmeier would like to see exit interviews conducted by HR so people will be more open to comment.
Both men are Republicans who want to keep Milwaukee crime from spilling into Waukesha County, they both support body cams (Ollinger said they’re on their way with money already budgeted; Gscheidmeier says they should have been implemented long ago), they oppose abolishing the police rhetoric, they both support continuing the 287g illegal immigration program in the jail (which Severson pioneered), and they both express that they want to build stronger relationships between the sheriff and deputies and between the department and broader community. Both men were raised in Waukesha County. Ollinger’s roots are in Menomonee Falls, and Gscheidmeier’s roots are in Pewaukee.
‘Abolish the Police’
Ollinger excoriated the “abolish the police” rhetoric emanating from the socialist Democrat front runner for governor, saying that such rhetoric puts stress on law enforcement officers and “looks like anarchy,” which he compared to the Kenosha riots, the response to which he was involved in. Gscheidmeier mentioned Gov. Tony Evers’ new commutations scheme to free prison inmates and commented that he would work as sheriff “to make sure no one comes back into the community” early from prison.
The race has boiled down into a litmus test over Severson’s leadership style, and Ollinger’s ties to him, although he’s stressed that he is his own man. Yet tensions over Severson’s leadership style are roiling the department. The race is also a war of endorsements.
Gscheidmeyer came into the forum with a strong endorsement from the Waukesha Deputy Sheriff Labor Union, which voted to endorse him by a 74 to 26 percent margin. Ollinger, in turn, has touted his endorsement from the Waukesha County Chiefs of Police Association as well as Severson and some Republican legislators. Gscheidmeier has countered that with endorsements from former DA Sue Opper and former MPD Chief Alfonso Morales, the latter of whom will “play a role” in his administration, he said. Those are not exhaustive lists. But it shows how prominent and respected people have split over this race. Racine County Sheriff Chris Schmaling, another prominent law enforcement official, supports Ollinger.
“I have devoted my life to law enforcement. I want to take it into the next generation,” said Ollinger, who is also endorsed by the Young Republicans, who are knocking on doors for him alongside their efforts to elect Tom Tiffany. Ollinger, who played college football, said he has a coach’s mentality in dealing with staff, and he wants to create an advisory board from all aspects of the department so the sheriff can respond to feedback. He pledged to work closely with deputies to improve morale. Ollinger has held many roles within the department, rising to captain, and he also worked in Winnebago County, forging a 13-year law enforcement career. He denied that the Sheriff’s Department works in a “silo.” He said, “We are continuing to” work with other agencies.
“i have devoted my whole life to public safety,” said Gscheidmeier, who pointed out that he’s run a real estate business with 40 employees and trained law enforcement officers for technical colleges. He declared that he was the “outsider” candidate who was asked to run by upset deputies within the department, who want a change in leadership, not only at the top (Severson is retiring) but also immediately below him. He stressed that, as a Glendale cop, he had “watched a man get shot,” was in chases, and was in two squad crashes. He said that cops respect a leader who has been in the trenches. One criticism of Gscheidmeier is that he has never been a police supervisor, although he tries to counter that with his experience training officers and leading a business.
Body Cams
Gscheidmeier has been very critical of the agency’s lack of body and dash cams, which is unusual these days; Ollinger said that there is money allotted for body cams and they will be in place by 2027, and he said that his goal is to get more deputies “on the road.” Gscheidmeier said the body cams should have happened “a long time ago” and he wants to bring the department “into the 21st century.” He said the sheriff’s staffing is not good, command staff should be reduced, and the four patrol areas need to be increased to eight to better service communities.
Ollinger also stressed the need for the agency to stay up-to-date on ways that new technologies can improve law enforcement, such as AI for report writing (to speed up the time it takes and get deputies on the road) and drones. He said the chiefs endorsed him because they “understand my vision.” Gscheidmeier suggested that more efficiencies could be found, suggesting the county’s three SWAT teams could be united, and he wants to make crime stats more easily accessible to the public.
Gscheidmeier agreed that people coming west from Milwaukee to commit crimes is a problem, and he said Brookfield and Elm Grove are being hit hard. He said he is “confused” why body cams aren’t already in place, and he accused the sheriff’s department of operating too much in a silo when it comes to collaboration with other agencies and cities, some of which the agency has contracts to provide services for but who don’t feel fully heard.
“We need a better image for the department,” he said. “People don’t know what we’re doing.”
Ollinger said he wants to continue 287g, which delegates federal immigration authority so deputies can screen inmates in the jail for citizenship, commenting that the policy “holds illegals accountable” when they end up in the jail (Gscheidmeier has also pledged to keep it). Multiple times during the forum, Ollinger spoke about holding criminals “accountable.” He also stressed fiscal responsibility.
According to Ollinger, he has acted as public information officer and was involved in efforts NOT to enforce mask mandates during COVID with law enforcement power.
Shortly before the forum, Gscheidmeier released a statement about the deputy sheriffs’ association endorsement, saying, “For years, the men and women of this department have done their jobs without the leadership and support they deserve. This endorsement means everything to me, because it comes from the people who know this job better than anyone — the deputies themselves. They don’t want the status quo. They want a plan and a leader who will fight for them from day one. That is exactly what I intend to deliver.”
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