Greenfield Police Officer Resigns After Explicit Text Photos Sent To Jewelry Theft Suspect

Officer quits before being fired for inappropriate conduct with a jewelry theft suspect.

By H. Nelson Goodson

November 13, 2012

Greenfield, WI - On Tuesday, the Greenfield Police Department (GPD) confirmed that a 29-year-old officer had resigned in early September after an investigation determined he engaged in inappropriate conduct violating department policy. The officer was one of two officers who talked to a woman suspected of jewelry theft. 

The officer began to talk to the woman afterwards that led to consensual texting and to exchange photos. Last August 24, a tip received by the GPD from a third party that a Greenfield officer had engaged in sexting led to an internal investigation.

The officer was suspended on August 26 with pay. The internal investigation concluded on September 4 and Greenfield Police Chief Bradley Wentlandt confirmed that the officer had sent explicit photos in nature of himself to the woman, who became distraught. At first, she wouldn't cooperate with the internal investigation. The woman was actually convinced by Greenfield police investigators to cooperate, which she did.

When Chief Wentlandt received the outcome results of the investigation, he filed to terminate the officer in question for violating the Greenfield Police Department rules and standards of conduct related to an inappropriate contact with a suspect. But, the officer decided to resigned rather getting fired by the Greenfield Fire and Police Commission.

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