Waukesha County Sheriff Department records pertaining to arrest of Whitewater police chief released

By Kim McDarison

Fort Atkinson Online has obtained a 19-page report from the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office pertaining to the incidents which led to the arrest of Whitewater Police Chief Aaron Raap on Thanksgiving day. 

While charges were referred to the Waukesha County District Attorney’s office, Waukesha County District Attorney Susan L. Opper told Fort Atkinson Online Thursday that she was declining prosecution, saying that she did not find sufficient evidence that there was an intention to inflict bodily harm.

A Whitewater Police Department internal investigation remains underway, according to information supplied by Whitewater city officials in a press release, which stated: “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.” 

Raap remains on a paid administrative leave which was announced in a press release by the City of Whitewater on Dec. 3. 

A letter from the sheriff   

In a letter from Waukesha County Sheriff Eric Severson, which was released with the report, Severson explained that several portions of the incident report have been redacted. 

Severson wrote: “I am releasing the report. However, I have determined that some of the information contained in the report is not subject to release. Under Wis. Stat. 19.36(6), I have redacted or withheld information from the record that is not subject to disclosure before release.”

Severson’s letter next gave descriptions of redacted materials, which, in brief, included Department of Transportation information, including personal information derived from the Department of Motor Vehicles, and other personal information such as telephone numbers, etc. Also, in accordance with Marsy’s Law, redacted from the document is any information pertaining to witnesses and victims, which, the letter noted,  “is treated as confidential.” Also, the letter stated, medical records and medical information obtained as part of the investigation has not been made available. Also withheld is the 911 audio recording containing victim and witness information. The letter noted that the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department does not have any squads equipped with dash cam and does not utilize body cameras. 

From the incident report 

According to the incident report, the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department was alerted of an incident at the home of Whitewater Police Chief Aaron Raap in the town of Ottawa after receiving a 911 call. 

According to the report, the incident, which is coded as “simple battery” occurred on Nov. 25 between 7:30 and 7:40 a.m. 

According to the incident report, an alleged altercation in the home occurred and escalated when Raap “physically prohibited” an unarmed individual from leaving the residence. 

“Aaron (Raap) was subsequently taken into custody for battery – domestic abuse related and transported to the Waukesha County Jail,” the report states. 

The report indicates that photos of a victim’s injuries sustained in the altercation were taken by a deputy. It also reports that at the time of the 911 call, the caller indicated that there was no need for an ambulance. The report indicates that when law enforcement personnel  spoke with the victim at the scene, that person indicated that they did not need an ambulance. 

The caller further advised, according to the report, that they did not believe “there was any drinking or drugs involved and there were no weapons present.” 

The report indicates that deputies met with Raap in the kitchen of his home. In an initial interview, according to the report, Raap told deputies that on the Tuesday before the alleged altercation, an individual, whose name is redacted from the report, told him he had been sent home early from work. Raap indicated that he and another individual, whose name is also redacted, agreed to query the individual who was sent home. 

When they went to confront the individual, the report states, that individual was in their bedroom playing video games and wasn’t, the report states, “very receptive to the conversation.” 

According to the report, Raap asked the individual to give him his cell phone, car keys and play station. The individual complied, giving Raap the items he requested with the exception of his car keys. 

The conversation left the bedroom and resumed in the living room of the home, the report states. After the individuals involved in the discussion sat down, the individual who had been asked to give Raap his car keys “got up and ran out the front door.” 

According to the report, Raap stated that “no physical altercation occurred during this time.” 

The report noted that the individual who had left the home later returned through a garage door. 

The individual entered the master bedroom of the home. 

Raap told deputies that he stopped the individual to “see what (redacted) may have taken from the room.” 

The report continued: “When Aaron (Raap) stopped (redacted) he felt a knife was in (redacted) waist band in a sheath.”

The knife was described in the report as “considered a hunting knife.” 

Raap told deputies that the individual whom he suspected had a knife “never threatened to use the knife or never displayed the knife and that he only knew it was on (redacted) due to feeling it.” 

Raap told deputies that he tried to take the knife away and a struggle ensued. Raap said he was able to take the knife and give it to another individual. He described the activity that occurred between himself and the individual with whom he struggled as “wrestling.” 

Raap said that he controlled the individual while he was on the ground and asked another individual in the home to call 911. He continued to control the individual on the ground, he said, waiting for law enforcement to arrive, but, he told deputies, that he came to understand that it would take more time for them to arrive than he could maintain enough energy to keep the individual on the ground, so, he said, he let the individual go. After the individual was released, Raap said, he exited the residence. 

Deputies asked Raap if at any point he “kicked, punched or choke(d) (redacted) and he stated no,” the report noted. 

Raap told deputies that he put the individual in a head lock to gain control. 

Responding to deputies’ questions, Raap said he asked one of the individuals present to call 911 because “he didn’t know what (redacted) was going to do.” When asked by deputies if he was fearful for his safety, Raap said: “yes, that’s why I held (redacted) down.” 

The report stated: “After further investigation it was determined that Aaron (Raap) was the predominate aggressor in the incident and was subsequently arrested on Battery Domestic Abuse related.” 

Related stories: https://fortatkinsononline.com/waukesha-da-ive-declined-prosecution-whitewater-officials-process-broader-effort/, and https://fortatkinsononline.com/whitewater-police-chief-placed-on-paid-administrative-leave/.