Wausau PD Podcast

Happy Podcast Friday!  Deputy Chief Baeten recently hada conversation with Andy Ritter from the Schleswig-Holstein State Police in the northernmost part of Germany. The two became acquainted a few years ago and have maintained a friendship ever since. In this episode of the Wausau PDPodcast, they discuss some of the differences and similarities between law enforcement in Wausau, Wisconsin and Kiel...

Happy Podcast Friday! After some time away, the Wausau PD Podcast is back! In this episode, Chief Barnes is joined by the Marathon County Department of Social Services director, Christa Jensen, to talk about the Family Keys program. Take a listen to find out how Family Keys is working to keep families together while preparing them for long-lasting success. The Wausau PD Podcast is also available o...

Happy Podcast Friday!  In this episode, Capt. Ben Graham leads a discussion with a few staff members about some of the darker ways technology is being used - specifically, for 'sextortion'. Listen as School Resource Officer Nick Stetzer, Victim Resource Officer Sarah Bedish, and Mental Health Therapist Kristen Seidler share their experience and perspectives on what this problem entails, ho...

Happy Podcast Friday! We recently congratulated two new officers, Molly Shnowske and Savannah Reed, on their graduation from the Basic Law Enforcement Academy. These officers sat down with Captain Pauls to discuss their academy experience, why they sought a law enforcement career, and what they are looking forward to as they begin their field training.  Welcome aboard! The Wausau PD Podcast is als...

Back-to-back Friday Podcasts! This episode has DC Baeten joined by Lt. Luis Lopes-Serrao and city videographer, Ethan Bares, to talk about the department's use of social media and video content to connect with the community. We discussed the evolution of Wausau PD's social media presence, why we expend effort in reaching others through social media, and how original video content became a...

Happy Podcast Friday! Reflecting on a career spanning 28 years, retired patrol officer & K9 handler, Mark Kurtzhals, came back to talk about lessons learned and advice he'd share with others.  We also found out what a police K9 does in retirement. *Teaser - it seems to involve a lot of sleeping.* Officer Kurtzhals retired from law enforcement in May of last year, but his impact will remain...

It may not be Friday, but here is a special podcast episode with Chief Barnes and Community Outreach Specialist Tracy Durante. There is some exigency in getting this episode’s message out there because WE NEED YOUR HELP! Homelessness is a challenge that individuals & families across this country (and world) are facing with increasing frequency.  You would be hard-pressed to find a community th...

🎙 Happy Podcast Friday! In recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we’re releasing a special episode of the Wausau PD Podcast focused on 'Seek Then Speak'—a powerful, confidential tool that empowers survivors of sexual assault to explore their options and, if they choose, begin the process of reporting. This episode was made possible through the collaboration of community partners who share...

Several months ago, Ofc. Andy Kutchenriter sat down to interview Det. Dave Bertram. This time the roles are reversed as Det. Bertram tosses out some questions to get to know Ofc. Kutchenriter better! Learn more about this Wausau native's upbringing, military experience, and forays into different career paths on his way to finding a home at Wausau PD. Ofc. Kutchenriter's background and driv...

In this episode, Chief Barnes visits with Marathon County Sheriff, Chad Billeb as they reflect on the common law enforcement goals shared by the police & sheriff’s departments. From special teams to cooperative training initiatives, our paths align quite a bit.  We think we’ve laid the groundwork for several future podcasts highlighting the joint services we offer. The Wausau PD Podcast is als...

The law enforcement profession has enjoyed a partnership with Special Olympics for many years.  In this episode of the Wausau PD Podcast, Lieutenant Nate Stetzer and Officer Nick Stetzer (yes, they are twins) sit down to talk about their involvement with Special Olympics of Wisconsin and how that relationship has changed their lives. Special Olympics was founded in 1968 with the mission, “…to prov...

Happy Podcast Friday!  We now have about 6 months of biweekly podcasts under our belt, so we thought we would share a bit of a mash-up for today.  In this episode, you'll find excerpts from each of the previous conversations we've had so far. We have lots of great things going on at the department, and we hope these episodes give you a glimpse of that! The Wausau PD Podcast is also available on Yo...

Happy Podcast Friday!  Our uniformed patrol officers do an awesome job responding to approximately 40,000 service calls each year. But what happens when a case requires further follow-up and specialized training to see it through? In this episode, Capt. Nathan Cihlar speaks with Detectives Jim Martin & Nick Walters about their careers. Find out how their paths led to the Investigations Bureau,...

Happy Podcast Friday!  The main ingredients that make the Wausau Police Department effective and an awesome place to work are the people that work here.  In this episode, we were able to catch up with Officer Claire Ostrowski to learn more about her.  Although she was hired in 2020, Officer Ostrowski came to Wausau PD with several years of experience from another agency. An instructor, trainer, an...

Two weeks ago, we were scheduled to sit down with a couple of School Resource Officers (SROs) and our newest therapy dog, but we had to reschedule.  Well, this week came through and Lt. Pauls caught up with Officer Koua Thao and Officer Nick Stetzer w/ his new K9 partner, Timber.  They talked about the work an SRO does in the schools, and the inception & development of the therapy dog program....

In this episode of the Wausau PD podcast we chat with one of our newest officers, Garrett Johnson, and his current field trainer, Cody Holder, to talk about the department's field training program. You'll hear some perspective on what it's like to adjust to a new career, how our field training program is designed to prepare new officers for solo patrol, and what field trainers are look...

Join Capt. Ben Graham as he speaks with two members of the Wausau Police Department's chaplain program.  What is a police chaplain? What do they do and what don't they do? Find out how our department and community are better served by having this awesome program in place. The Wausau PD Podcast is also available on YouTube, Spotify, and other major platforms.

Hey everyone, it's another (every other) Friday, which means it's time for the next episode of the Wausau PD Podcast! Riding on the heels of some friendly PD vs. FD rivalry, Chief Barnes sat down for an in depth conversation with Wausau Fire Department Chief Jeremy Kopp. (With a name like that, you'd think he was destined for police work!) Chief Kopp talks about his journey to the Chie...

The women of the Wausau Police Department make incredible contributions to our agency and community.  In this episode, Capt. Melinda Pauls is joined by Lt. Jen Holz and Ofc. Mallori Buchkoski to discuss unique challenges women face in this male-dominated career, talk about how their talents and leadership benefit our profession, and to share advice for other women looking to get into policing. ⭐️...

It's time for episode 7 of the Wausau PD Podcast! For this episode, Chief Barnes invited Wausau City Clerk, Kaitlyn Bernarde, to sit down and talk about all things election-related. Whether you have questions about absentee ballots, how to register to vote, or what plans & laws are in place to ensure the integrity of the voting process at polling sites, we hope you'll find this convers...

Law enforcement careers can come with a tremendous amount of stress. It is important to have resources in place to ensure our staff can effectively manage that stress and the trauma that accompany this work. In this episode of the Wausau PD Podcast we visit with Lt. Jill Kurtzhals and Ofc. Jena Zinkowich to learn more about the department's Peer Support Team and how they are ready to help thos...

Of the many facets of law enforcement, use of force has to be the most discussed and most trained topic.  It is also perhaps one of the most misunderstood topics.   In this episode, Capt. Ben Graham and Lt. John Phillips have a ‘Use of Force 101’ conversation to begin explaining the complexities of this important issue.   The Wausau Police Department policy manual, including its Use of Force polic...

Detective Dave Bertram came to Wausau PD nearly a decade ago, but his origin story started way before then. Officer Kutchenriter recently took some time to learn more about this member of our department. From military deployments & a stint with the Wisconsin State Patrol to his work in the Investigations Bureau, Det. Bertram has a servant's heart.

Join Capt. Ben Graham for episode #3 of the Wausau PD Podcast as he visits with Officer Sarah Bedish and Mental Health Therapist Kristen Seidler to learn more about the department's Victim Resource Unit.

Hey everyone, it's time for episode #2 of the Wausau PD Podcast!  Deputy Chief Baeten recently sat down with Chief Barnes to discuss challenges & opportunities facing the department and community.