By Kim McDarison
More than a month after Whitewater Police Chief Aaron Raap was placed by the City of Whitewater on paid administrative leave, pending an internal investigation which is being conducted by an outside source, as of Thursday, city officials have said the investigation “is still ongoing.”
Responding to emailed questions about the status of the investigation posed by Fort Atkinson Online, Public Relations and Communications Manager for the City of Whitewater, serving as spokesperson and responding by email, Kristin Mickelson, wrote that after conferring with Whitewater City Manager Cameron Clapper and Whitewater Deputy Police Chief Dan Meyer, she was able to release the following statement:
“The outside investigation in regards to the status of the Whitewater Police Chief is still ongoing. Although we are hopeful for this investigation to draw to a close soon, we do not have any new information to share at this time as we wait for the results.
“When the investigation is complete, it will be reviewed by city officials. Upon the conclusion of that process, we will be issuing an updated press release for the community. The timeline is undetermined and we are very appreciative for the patience of the community and all those involved as we navigate through this difficult situation.
“During the course of this investigation, our focus at WPD (Whitewater Police Department) has remained providing a high-level of public safety service to our community. We have an exceptional staff and have adjusted duties as needed to continue operating effectively.”
City officials announced in a press release on Dec. 3 that Raap had been placed on paid administrative leave, further noting that Meyer would be serving as acting police chief “until further notice.”
The release from Dec. 3 continued: “An internal investigation will be conducted by an outside agency based on an incident that occurred outside the city of Whitewater. The leave is not considered punitive, rather part of the Whitewater Police Department policy.”
Information shared Dec. 16 with Fort Atkinson Online by the Waukesha County Sheriff’s office indicated that Raap had been arrested Thanksgiving day after an alleged altercation at his home.
In an incident report filed by the sheriff’s department in November, charges of “simple battery” were referred to the Waukesha district attorney’s office.
Raap lives in Waukesha County.
Speaking with Fort Atkinson Online by phone on Dec. 16, Waukesha District Attorney Susan Opper said that after reviewing the information provided, she “declined prosecution,” citing a lack of “sufficient evidence that there was an intention to inflict bodily harm.”
In a statement issued by Clapper also on Dec. 16, he wrote that the city had received a number of media inquiries about the status of the investigation, adding: “The procedure is part of a broader effort to maintain the integrity of the organization as a whole, not a criminal investigation. As a result, the internal investigation runs independent from any decisions made by other agencies including Waukesha County’s District Attorney’s Office and will be completed as soon as possible.”
An earlier story, including information from the incident report filed by the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department is here: https://fortatkinsononline.com/waukesha-county-sheriff-department-records-pertaining-to-arrest-of-whitewater-police-chief-released/.
Whitewater Police Chief Aaron Raap
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