Funny you should ask: what qualifications do you need to be a municipal judge?

 

Judge Jack's last official day behind the bench

After 10 years of faithful service as Chetek's Municipal Judge, Jack Harrison has decided to step-down mid-term from his post. Since two years remain on his current term, I have appointed Paul Poppe as interim Municipal Judge effective June 1. In 2025, when Judge Harrison's term of office officially expires (four years is the municipal judge's term), Paul can decide if he wants to take out election papers for himself. Until then, he's our man behind the bench at municipal court.

Paul receiving the honorary gavel
from Judge Jack

Shortly after posting this news to the Mayor's Facebook page, I began to get inquiries about why I chose Paul and how I could do so given that he is not an attorney (since 2015 Paul has served Faith Baptist Church as pastor). So I thought I give a little civics lesson with this article as a way of answering those questions.

If you go to the City of Chetek's website and click on “Departments” followed by another click on “Municipal Court” you will find the following information:

The City of Chetek is served by a municipal court that adjudicates all municipal ordinance actions.  The actions taken are related to:

• Traffic Laws

• Building Codes

• Animal related violations

• Adopting State Statutes relating to behavior, alcohol and other aspects of the law.

So, if you are issued a citation for (as an example) speeding or (as another example) your dog barking incessantly and you wish to contest that charge, you call the Court Clerk (Ashlea Olson) and she will arrange your day in court. Court is usually held twice a month. While you are free to hire an attorney, I have it on good authority that most folks choose to represent themselves. The city attorney lobbies the city's case and the Municipal Judge then serves as judge and jury. And his rulings are final.

The number one requirement for serving as Municipal Judge is that you must be a city resident. That's it. You do not need to be an attorney (Judge Harrison is a retired teacher) or have a background in criminal law. Previous municipal judges have been business owners or, in one case, a deacon at their church.

According to State statute, “each new municipal judge is required to attend the municipal judge orientation institute held in May. Each sitting municipal judge must earn at least four credits of approved continuing education per calendar year” (Wisconsin Courts). Paul recently returned from his very first “Municipal Judge U”. While there he was “coached up” and was introduced to the network of municipal judges on this side of the State who connect with one another for the purposes of sharing judicial knowledge.

I have known Paul for over 30 years now. He is a husband, the father of nine wonderful kids, a pastor of one of our local fellowships, and someone I consider a friend. I have always found him to be a straight-shooter who possesses a great sense of justice. And he lives within the city limits. If those aren't qualifications enough, he's also been an umpire at local little league games adjudicating the high crimes and misdemeanors of the ball diamond. I'm certain he will serve our community well in the capacity of MJ.

One of the most dangerous jobs out there:
being a Little League ump

Welcome Officer Salzman

On the same day Paul was sworn in at City Hall as Municipal Judge,
Officer Ryan Salzman was also sworn in as the newest member of our police department. He immediately comes to us from the Cornell PD but has had stints serving at the Fort McCoy PD, Baldwin County (Alabama) Sheriff's Department and has worked in a law enforcement capacity with both the Army and the Air Force. While serving with Fort McCoy PD he received the Federal Commendation Medal for Operations Allies Welcome (the federal program designed to secure housing and employment for 70,000 Afghan refugees following our withdrawal from Afghanistan in the fall of 2021).

Ryan has his EMS licence with the Cornell Area Ambulance Service and his certification in Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Respond Training (or ALERRT), an active shooter response training program, and ARIDE (Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement) which prepares police officers to conduct various drug-impairment detection tests for use in drugged-driving investigations. So this isn't his first rodeo. While he can never replace Officer Emily Breidenbach, he is a welcome addition to our Chetek PD family. By all accounts he seems to be fitting right in.