A 34-year-old Kewaskum police officer has been arrested for his alleged involvement in inappropriate behavior toward an 18-year-old female student.
The man was assigned as a school resource officer at the time, and the young woman's parents reported their concern about the situation on Friday, April 5th.
The Kewaskum Chief of Police Thomas Bishop initiated an internal investigation and has asked the West Bend Police Department to conduct an independent investigation, to maintain transparency and impartiality. Bishop said text messages between the officer and the student tipped them off.
The accused officer was arrested that same Friday and is in the custody of the Washington County Sheriff's Office. He's being held on felony charges including:
- Sex misconduct by school staff
- Misconduct in public office
"We hold our officers to the highest moral and ethical standards," said Kewaskum Police Chief Thomas Bishop in a press release. "To say these allegations are a shock would be an understatement. As a parent and your police chief, I am saddened and angered. This officer betrayed the trust of the Kewaskum Police Department, the Kewaskum School District, and, most importantly, the community our officers take an oath to serve with professionalism, integrity, and respect."
According to Bishop, the officer had been with the department for nearly seven years and spent two as a school resource officer.
KPD says the accused officer will be placed on administrative leave pending the completion of a formal employment discipline process after he is released from jail.
At this time, investigators say there is no reason to believe there are additional victims.
While Emily Epling's children are not in school yet she was surprised to hear the news.
"It's not really something you ever want to have to worry about. So I guess it just got added to the long list of things that we have to worry about as parents," Epling stated.
KPD says it will not release any additional information while the case is being investigated.
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