Confronted with quite a few allegations calling into query his conduct when he was a police officer, Franklin Mayor John Nelson continued to disclaim any wrongdoing throughout an occasion April 30 on the Franklin Public Library.
Nelson allowed residents to submit questions on the allegations against him throughout a public city corridor on the library. Neighborhood members wrote their names and questions on playing cards, which had been learn aloud by moderator Genene Hibbler of Oak Creek, after which answered by Nelson.
“Being an worker there for 9 years, in my worker file was nothing however two accolades and nothing else,” Nelson mentioned about his time with the Waterford Police Division. “If it’s non-criminal, why — if there have been no complaints, there was no violation of coverage and process, rule or regulation — why had been we placed on paid administrative go away?”
Almost 100 Franklin residents attended the assembly.
Nelson, his companion and several other different officers from the Waterford Police Division had been positioned on administrative go away Might 6, 2024. Nelson, a lieutenant, retired from the department on Oct. 11, 2024, amid an inner investigation into a number of complaints about his conduct.
In accordance with paperwork associated to the investigation and obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the allegations in opposition to Nelson embrace:
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Fostering a hostile work atmosphere.
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Sexually harassing or making inappropriate feedback towards feminine officers, making them really feel “verbally violated.”
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Sexual feedback and ongoing flirting towards feminine civilians.
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Displaying inappropriate photos of females Nelson allegedly dated or had sexual relations with to different officers.
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Improper use of City of Waterford assets whereas campaigning for mayor and conducting mayoral enterprise for Franklin.
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Derogatory/unprofessional telephone conduct whereas on responsibility within the presence of different personnel.
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Preferential therapy in scheduling officers.
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Retaliation in opposition to some officers.
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Failure to make use of the FTO program, a full-time officer program associated to coaching.
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Oversight of an unauthorized personal safety service getting paid in money.
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Dissemination of delicate info containing an worker’s personnel file to different division members.
In an April 28 interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Nelson denied all allegations, claiming there have been by no means any official complaints or grievances filed in opposition to him. He mentioned the accusations had been a part of a “he mentioned, she mentioned” narrative focusing on him.
Nelson repeated these denials throughout the city corridor, accusing media retailers and social media customers of attacking him over the allegations.
He characterised the investigation as an effort to discredit him, allegedly led by former City of Waterford Chairwoman Teri Jendusa-Nicolai, whom Nelson mentioned he as soon as thought of a buddy.
He mentioned Jendusa-Nicolai “weaponized” the investigation.
“As she sits on this room, I might’ve by no means carried out this to you,” he mentioned. “I thought of her a buddy for nearly 9 years ― we talked usually. We talked about officers, we talked concerning the challenges of being elected officers.”
When a resident requested Nelson how he might accuse Jendusa-Nicolai of weaponizing the investigation with out proof, Nelson mentioned Jendusa-Nicolai had no details or complaints to assist the claims.
Throughout a post-meeting interview, Jendusa-Nicolai denied this declare.
Nelson additional alleged {that a} feminine officer who had filed a grievance in opposition to him was later positioned on the Brady list, an inventory compiled by the Milwaukee County District Legal professional’s Workplace of regulation enforcement officers who’ve allegations of dishonesty, bias or previous crimes.
Jendusa-Nicolai mentioned after the city corridor that the feminine officer was not on the Brady listing.
Viewers response to Nelson’s feedback was combined, with some applauding him and others opting to go away earlier than the assembly was over.
Franklin Mayor John Nelson is seen earlier than the beginning of a public assembly to handle misconduct allegations throughout his time as a Waterford police lieutenant on the Franklin Public Library on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Franklin, Wis.
Nelson additionally addressed allegations associated to his time on the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Workplace
Nelson additionally faces allegations about his conduct from his 26-year tenure on the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Workplace previous to his time in Waterford.
TMJ4 has reported that disciplinary data present allegations of Nelson dishonest on regulation enforcement exams and sexual harassing a feminine corrections officer.
Nelson mentioned the allegations aren’t true and that the girl concerned within the grievance had points with different workers in two completely different places whereas he was a lieutenant on the sheriff’s workplace.
“I attempted to get her repositioned someplace else,” he mentioned. “I supplied to take it to inner affairs, after which (she) made some loopy allegations about me that was investigated. They had been unfounded.”
Nelson additionally mentioned the experiences about him dishonest on his exams weren’t true and claimed that he supplied to take the check orally in entrance of the category.
The Journal Sentinel has submitted an open data request to the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Workplace for added info.
Former City of Waterford Chairwoman Teri Jendusa-Nicolai denied Nelson’s claims that she weaponized the investigation
After the city corridor, Jendusa-Nicolai advised the Journal Sentinel she went to the assembly to see what Nelson needed to say and that by no means in one million years would she assume she’d be within the spot she was put in.
“There’s been quite a lot of issues occurring for the previous 12 months,” Jendusa-Nicolai mentioned. “It has been a very long time that we weren’t in a position to inform individuals what was occurring whereas the investigations had been occurring. I am positive individuals perceive whereas investigations are occurring, we will not discuss them.”
When requested about Nelson denying the accusations, she mentioned the transcripts converse for themselves.
“You might have quite a few officers who had been interviewed they usually mentioned what they mentioned,” Jendusa-Nicolai mentioned. “I had nothing to do with any of that. These are fairly heavy allegations, so we wanted to do one thing about it.”
The investigation completed when Nelson retired as a result of the city didn’t need to preserve spending cash as soon as he left the division Jendusa-Nicolai mentioned.
Bought any ideas or tales to share? Contact Adrienne Davis at amdavis@gannett.com. Comply with her on X at @AdriReportss
This text initially appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Franklin Mayor denies police misconduct allegations at town hall
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