Wausau PD Podcast

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 that isn't struggling to find effective ways to provide programs and shelter for its unhoused citizens.In this podcast episode, Chief Barnes and Tracy Rieger detail an upcoming shelter provider gap in Wausau starting May 1st. As an interim solution, the Wausau Police Department will be overseeing the opening of the ‘Wausau Marathon County (WMC) Shelter.'How can you help?There is an urgent need for us to hire a number of folks to fill temporary positions (~ 8 months) to staff this shelter, along with securing invaluable volunteer assistance. These paid & volunteer opportunities will make an impact on others in an immediate and fulfilling way.  Learn more about the WMC Shelter in this 20th episode of the Wausau PD Podcast!To apply online for any of the temporary shelter positions, visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/wausauwi/The Wausau PD Podcast is also available on YouTube, Facebook, and other major platforms.

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 drive to serve others make him a big part of our department!The Wausau PD Podcast is also available on YouTube, Facebook, and other major platforms.

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 also available on Youtube, Facebook, and other major platforms.

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 provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.” The Wausau Police Department is honored to support Special Olympics of Wisconsin. If you would like to learn more about how to get involved in this great cause visit https://www.specialolympics.org/get-involved?locale=en. To support Lt. Stetzer as he represents Wisconsin on an international level at the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy, go to https://fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/FinalLeg/NateStetzer

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 YouTube, Facebook, and other major platforms.

Former Detective and current Administrative Captain Nathan Cihlar sits down with Detectives Jim Martin and Nick Walters to learn more about investigations at the Wausau Police Department. They dive into the daily operations, specific challenges they encounter in their investigations, and discuss the technology that has developed in their detective work.

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, and all-around solid patrol officer, Officer Ostrowski has been a great addition to our department and community. The Wausau PD Podcast is also available on YouTube, Facebook, and other major platforms.

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.  Enjoy! The Wausau PD Podcast is also available on YouTube, Facebook, and other major platforms.

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 looking for in a trainee. You just might get the itch to change careers as well!  The Wausau PD Podcast is also available on YouTube, Facebook, and other major platforms.

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 Chief's office and the critical work performed by the fire department. The Wausau PD Podcast is also available on YouTube, Spotify, and other major platforms.

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. ⭐️You won't want to miss this episode!

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 conversation informative and engaging. The Wausau PD podcast is available on Facebook, YouTube, Spotify, and other major platforms.

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 those staff in need. Lt. Kurzthals has previously shared the account of one incident that propelled her involvement in peer support. That video can be viewed here:    • "It's okay to say you're not fine" | ...  

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 policy (#300) can be found here: https://www.wausauwi.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/10661/638417894705600000

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.

Buckle up - it's our debut episode of the Wausau PD Podcast!  Get to know Chief Matt Barnes better as Lt. Nathan Pauls speaks with him about his path to the chief's office.