On Monday, May 6th, 2024, at 4:45PM leadership from the Menasha Police Department will be participating in a workshop with the Menasha Common Council. Our Leadership will be providing a summary of our current staffing levels and recommendations on future staffing levels.
The Menasha Police Department’s authorized sworn staffing level is 32 officers. This is 1.7 officers per 1000 citizens. According to FBI statistics, the ratio in Wisconsin is 2.2 officers per 1000 citizens and the national ratio is 2.4 officers per 1000 citizens. Menasha would need to add 7 officers to match the state ratio and 11 officers to match the national ratio.
Staffing levels at the Menasha Police Department have not increased like the city’s geographical area and population have grown over that same time period. The Police Department Leadership is committed to providing high quality police services to the citizens of Menasha. The goal of our presentation at this workshop is to explain how the changes to the city’s geographical area, population, the types of crimes we are asked to investigate, and the evolution in policing have increased the workload for our current staff. We will be recommending an increase in our staffing levels so we can continue providing high quality and professional police services.
The Menasha Administration Committee will be discussing a possible referendum question after the Menasha Common Council meeting on May 6th, 2024. The referendum question would seek additional funding to increase staffing at the Menasha Police Department and provide equipment and training for the additional officers.
We invite the citizens of Menasha to attend this workshop. The workshop will be recorded and available on the city website for those unable to attend. We look forward to the Common Council’s support in this matter. We hope their support will place this topic on the ballot so voting members of our community can let their voice be heard.
If a referendum question is approved in the Administration Committee and later by the Common Council, the Menasha Police Department Leadership is looking forward to future opportunities to provide education for the citizens of Menasha so they can make an informed decision on this important topic.
Chief Nick Thorn
