The Brown Deer Police Department would like to take this opportunity to remind residents of the parking regulations within the Village of Brown Deer. The night parking hours are between 2:00 A.M. and 6:00 A.M. Vehicles are only allowed to park on public streets for one hour between these hours. Vehicles found to be parked in the same location longer than one hour will be ticketed. The Village of Brown Deer does not offer monthly parking permits.

To avoid being ticketed and you wish to park your vehicle on a public roadway, you are allowed to obtain parking permission from the police department up to five times per month. You must provide the dispatcher with your vehicle information, where you will be parking your vehicle and some other necessary information. Your request for parking permission will not be granted if you have received permission more than five times in one month. 

You can request parking permission by calling the Brown Deer Police Department at 414-371-2900. If you are granted parking permission, you can still be issued a citation if you park your vehicle in a fire lane, no parking zone, facing the wrong way in the roadway, driveway or fire hydrant.

With the New Year upon us, it is important to mention a new change in traffic law. Beginning on January 1, 2010, Wisconsin Act 97 permits U-turns at controlled intersections where signs prohibiting U-turns are not installed. A controlled intersection means any intersection that is controlled by traffic control signals or by a traffic officer. There are important guidelines to follow when making a legal U-turn from a controlled intersection.

1)      U-turns will have to be made from the leftmost turn lane.

2)      Vehicles on the intersection street attempting to turn right on a red light must yield the right-of-way to the vehicle making the U-turn.

3)      No backing will be permitted as a part of the U-turn; therefore, drivers must be familiar with their vehicle’s turning radius prior to initiating the U-turn.

4)      U-turns will be prohibited on curves and hillcrests where visibility is less than 500 feet.

Although making U-turns at controlled intersections where there is no sign prohibiting the U-turn is legal, other options should be considered as U-turns within busy intersections may not be the safest choice. Remember, getting to your destination safely is always the number one priority. 

2010 Census

On 12-27-09 Brown Deer Police Department officers took a complaint of a burglary in the Village.  Shortly thereafter a report of a supicious person was investigated whereby a suspect approached a home that appeared empty.  When the homeowner answered the door the suspect stated that his car had ran out of gas in the area and asked if he could borrow some gas money from the home owner.  The suspect then left the residence after being refused the money.  The Police Department believes this person may be the same indivdual who burglarized the home earlier. 

Knocking on a door to a home that appears to be vacant in order to find out if a residence is home or not at the time is a common ploy used by criminals prior to a burglary.  Should a stranger knock at your door and make an unusual request - contact the police department immediately!  Take note of the suspects dress and physical characteristics and, if possible, the direction of travel from your home when the individual leaves.  Your actions could prevent your neighbors from becoming victims of a crime.

In the incident that occurred on the 27th of December, 2009 the suspect who may have been casing the residences, was described as:

Black Male

Medium Complexion

25-35 years old

5’06”-5’11”

Medium Build 

Dark Clothing/Dark Hat

Remember: If you encounter a suspicious person at your residence or observe a suspicious person walking through yards or up driveways, contact the Brown Deer Police Department.

The Brown Deer Police Department would like to take this opportunity to remind our residents of the importance of having your dog or cat licensed through the Village of Brown Deer or Milwaukee County. All dogs and cats five months or older must be properly licensed.

Dog and cat licenses may be obtained by visiting the Village Hall, Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Proper rabies vaccination and documentation are required in order to obtain a license. The licenses are valid for a one year period beginning January 1^st and ending December 31^st.

Any owner found to be harboring, sheltering or in any way keeping an unlicensed dog or cat may be subject to fines and penalties through the Village of Brown Deer. Having a properly licensed dog or cat not only allows the Village of Brown Deer to better control the spread of rabies and other infectious animal diseases, it also helps us locate the dog’s owner should the animal go missing and be found.

The Brown Deer Police Department would like to take this opportunity to remind our residents of the importance of having your dog or cat licensed through the Village of Brown Deer or Milwaukee County. All dogs and cats five months or older must be properly licensed.

Dog and cat licenses may be obtained by visiting the Village Hall, Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Proper rabies vaccination and documentation are required in order to obtain a license. The licenses are valid for a one year period beginning January 1^st and ending December 31^st.

Any owner found to be harboring, sheltering or in any way keeping an unlicensed dog or cat may be subject to fines and penalties through the Village of Brown Deer. Having a properly licensed dog or cat not only allows the Village of Brown Deer to better control the spread of rabies and other infectious animal diseases, it also helps us locate the dog’s owner should the animal go missing and be found.

What is “sexting”? By definition from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, sexting is the act of sending, receiving, or forwarding sexually explicit messages, photos, or images via cell phone, computer, or other digital device. With the ever increasing access to technology, “sexting” is becoming more and more prevalent among teenagers and even adolescent children. 

In October 2008, “Sex and Tech” conducted a survey and polled 1280 teens and young adults between the ages of 13 & 26 about their cell phone, computer, and digital device behaviors/attitudes. The following are the results of the survey;

• The % of teenagers who have sent or posted either a nude or semi-nude picture(s) or video(s) of themselves:

-20% of teenagers overall

-22% of teen girls

-18% of teen boys

-11% of young teen girls ages 13-16

• The % of teenagers sending or posting sexually suggestive messages:

-39% of all teenagers

-37% of teen girls

-40% of teen boys

Even more frightening is that;

• 71% of teen girls and 67% of teen guys who have sent or posted sexually suggestive content say they have sent or posted this content to a boyfriend of girlfriend.
• 44% of both teen girls and boys say it is common for sexually suggestive text messages to get shared with people other than the intended recipient!

It is important to understand that SEXTING IS A CRIME! This includes anything from explicit text messages to nude photos. The Brown Deer Police Department takes this conduct very seriously. The ramifications of sexting are tremendous and hurt everyone involved! Children who become involved in these cases are referred to either Children’s Center or the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office (depending on ages) for charges, of which the charges that are many times considered include child pornography.

Some helpful online resources include:

* Lingo2word.com:   Online searchable shorthand dictionary for words/phrases used in Email, Chart rooms and text messages. (Translates from texting lingo to plain English.)

* NetSmartz411.com: Online resource for answering questions about internet safety, computers and the web.

The Brown Deer Police Department has had some recent additions to their staff to fill vacancies made by people leaving and there have been some promotions also.  We would like to recognize the following personnel and welcome them to our community and the department, or congragulate them on their advancement:

Dispatcher Chad Capelle was hired in May 2009 as a full time dispatcher.  Dispatcher Capelle is married and has three sons, ages 3-8 years old.  He enjoys following the Brewers and Packers in his spare time.

Officer Matthew Katz was hired in June 2009.  Officer Katz brings with him six years of experience from the Oshkosh Police Department.  He chose to leave the Oshkosh PD so he could move closer to his family who live in the Milwaukee area.  Officer Katz enjoys golfing, camping and hiking.

Dispatcher Rebecca Lopez was hired in August 2009 as a full time dispatcher.  Dispatcher Lopez has previous experience in customer service.  She is married with three small children, ages 2-4.

Sergeant Daniel Krohn was promoted in April 2009.  Sergeant Krohn was hired as a patrol officer in June 2001 and investigated numerous drug and robbery cases.  Sergeant Krohn has a history of law enforcement in his family, his father is retired from Milwaukee Police Department where he served there as a Sergeant and Dan also has an uncle in the profession.  Sergeant Krohn’s hobbies include golf, tennis and working on his home.

Desk Officer Andrea Gebelein was hired as a dispatcher with the department in July of 2006, this January she applied for a position as a desk officer and after successfully completing the hiring process for that position, was appointed by the Chief.  Andrea will be attending the Police Academy from August 24th through November of this year before assuming her role as a desk officer here in the department.  

We are happy to announce these additions and wish them well in their career with the police department!

The Brown Deer Police Department has a speed trailer that has the ability to count traffic, detect speed and it maintains date and times of vehicle traffic so the police department can direct their enforcement actions consistent with vehicle traffic patterns. The speed trailer can also be used for traffic counts for other Village departments to determine if there is a need for street changes or possible sign changes. For more information or questions regarding the speed trailer or a request for the trailer to be temporarily placed on a road in your area (within the Village) call the Police Department at 371-2900

With summer soon approaching and more people becoming active outdoors, it is imperative that drivers be more cognizant of their speed especially in subdivisions. Their will be more children outside, more people will be outdoors walking, jogging, riding bicycles, out with their pets, doing yard work or simply outside enjoying day Even traveling at the residential speed limit of 25 mph, a car covers 36.66 feet per second. Most people require one to three seconds to react. Under these circumstances, a car will travel between 37 and 110 feet before a driver reacts. This does not take into account the mechanical condition, brakes, tires, etc, of the vehicle driven or weather conditions. This means that when driving the speed limit, reacting within one second with a perfectly tuned vehicle on a dry sunny day your vehicle will travel up to 37 feet before stopping.

If you need to get somewhere, leave a little early to give yourself enough time to get to you location safely. Drive safe and have a pleasant summer.

A bicycle is a legal vehicle whose operator is required to follow all traffic laws. This means stopping for stop signs and red lights if traveling in the street and riding on the same side of the road as other traffic that is going in the same direction. Bicyclists must be treated as equal users by all other vehicles.

Bicycles are particularly vulnerable among road vehicles. There are several simple things bicyclists can do to greatly reduce their risk of crash, death or injury.

The best way is to avoid common bicyclist errors or to be prepared to avoid common motorist errors committed around bicyclists.

• Wisconsin has the highest rate of drunken driving in the nation. More than 26 percent of Wisconsin adults who were surveyed admitted that they had driven under the influence of alcohol in the previous year, according to a nationwide study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/2k8/stateDUI/stateDUI.cfm) released in April 2008.
•  More than 42,000 drivers - about equal to the population of Fond du Lac - were convicted of drunken driving offenses in Wisconsin in 2007.

• Alcohol-related crashes killed 337 people in Wisconsin and injured more than 5,500 in 2007.
• Approximately 46 percent of all fatal traffic crashes in Wisconsin are alcohol-related, and 47 percent of all fatal motorcycle crashes in Wisconsin are alcohol-related.

• Choosing to drive while impaired by alcohol or other drugs could be a decision you'll regret the rest of your life.
• If you're arrested, you can lose your license as well as a huge amount of money.
• Repeat drunken driving offenders also face imprisonment.
• If you hurt or kill someone in a crash you could face extremely serious charges, like negligent homicide or operating while intoxicated (OWI) causing injury.
• Refuse a blood/breath alcohol concentration (BAC) test and you will lose your license on the spot for at least one year and you may have your car impounded.
• If you drive drunk with a child under age 16 in the vehicle, the penalties will double.
• If you have two prior drunken driving convictions and have a BAC over 0.17, the penalties are multiplied.

• Choose a sober designated driver before you start drinking.
• If you're feeling buzzed, you probably are over the 0.08 limit and should not drive.
• Rather than risk an arrest or even worse a crash, take mass transit, a taxicab or ask a sober friend to drive you home.
• Save a life - don't let your friends drive drunk.
• Don’t serve intoxicated patrons. In addition, some taverns and restaurants have programs to provide patrons with a safe ride home. Visit www.tlw.org/ (Tavern League of Wisconsin website)
• Report impaired drivers to law enforcement or call 911.
• Driving defensively and wearing your seat belt or using protective gear on your motorcycle is your best protection against an impaired driver.

Many people in our community are not aware that the Brown Deer Police Department has a very committed and dedicated group of Chaplains.

We recognize that in our line of work, we sometimes meet people in the worst circumstances of life and when they need help the most.  In addition, we recognize that the stresses of the job can sometimes take its toll on the individual officer or the department as a whole. It is for these reasons that we have the Chaplains Corps.

The Chaplain Corps allows access to qualified, licensed members of the clergy from our community that are willing to assist officers and citizens and are multi-denominational.  They are able to respond to the scenes of stressful, traumatic incidents or situations. Chaplains may also be a referral for assistance at a later time.

Our group of Chaplains has been serving the community for over six years now and has responded to many events and situations. The assistance they have been able to offer has been very effective and they are all very willing to serve.

Our Chaplains are all members of the International Conference of Police Chaplains and receive annual training in many aspects of police work and skills in handling the situations that may arise in which they may be needed

Now that the holidays have wrapped up, SCHOOL is back in session. This means drivers need to watch out for the school buses and child pedestrians in the village. Here are some helpful reminders regarding traffic safety and school zones:

When traveling in a school zone there is always a potential of children darting out into the roadway or oncoming traffic. Therefore, motorists traveling through school zones need to travel safely and obey the traffic laws.

Each school zone will have School Zone Speed Limit Signs posted. These signs designate that the School Zone Speed Limit is 15 MPH. This speed limit applies any time children are present, whether the children are on the adjacent sidewalks, parking lots, or on the roadway.

If a motorist is caught violating the School Zone Speed Limit, the penalties are stiff.  For example, if a motorist was stopped for traveling 40 MPH in a regular 35 mph Speed Zone (5mph over the limit), they would receive a citation for  $83.80 and up to 3 points. HOWEVER, if this violation occurred in a School Zone (15 mph speed limit when children are present), the driver would be traveling 25mph over the School Zone Speed Limit and would result in a citation for $172.00 and up to 6 points.

In addition to School Zones, here are other traffic laws to be aware of:

Motorists must stop on at least 20 feet or more from any school bus that has stopped and is flashing red warning lights.

Ø      This applies to motorists approaching from both the rear and the opposing lanes.

Ø      All lanes of traffic must stop for the school bus except in the opposing lanes if the highway is divided with a center median

Ø      No vehicle may proceed until the bus resumes motion and has turned off the red warning lights.

Ø      Just because the “Stop” sign is not extended on the bus, doesn’t not give a motorist the right to pass the bus. If the flashing red lights are activated, STOP.

If you violated this traffic law, you would be cited with a fine of $235.00 and up to 4 points.

An owner of a vehicle involved in a violation may be cited for the infraction if the driver of the vehicle at the time the violation occurred cannot be identified.

According to Wisconsin state law, drivers must:

Ø      Yield to pedestrians who have started crossing an intersection or crosswalk on a walk signal or on a green light.

Ø      Yield to Pedestrians who are crossing or waiting to cross the road within a marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection where there is no traffic lights or control signals.

Ø      Yield to pedestrians when a vehicle is crossing a sidewalk or entering a driveway

Drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians legally crossing the roadway may be issued citations with fines ranging from $109.00 to $235.00 (depending on the violation).

Probationary drivers, such as high school students, especially need to be cautious in School Zones. These drivers risk having their citation points doubled and the possibility of losing their license if they accumulate too many points.

Drive Safely!

PREPARE for the trip;

• During daylight, rehearse maneuvers slowly on the ice or snow in an empty lot
• Steer into a skid
• Know what your brakes will do, stomp on anti-lock brakes.
• Stopping distances are longer on water-covered and normal ice.
• Don’t idle for a long time with the windows up or in an enclosed space.

The Brown Deer Police Department encourages citizens to be alert and cautious while shopping, especially during the holiday seasons. Don’t become a crime victim this Christmas season. Here are some important safety tips to keep in mind:

➤Shop with friends or family members in numbers.

The Brown Deer Police Department is proud to announce that it is scheduled for an on-site assessment to achieve accreditation through the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group (WILEAG).  The on-site assessment is scheduled for the week of December 15, 2008.

The accreditation program requires agencies to comply with state-of-the-art standards in four basic areas: policy and procedures, administration, operations, and support services.  The program consists of 234 standards that incorporate the best police practices; agencies are evaluated every three years.  The Brown Deer Police Department is applying for our initial accreditation status. 

As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session on Wednesday, December 17, 2008 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.  The session will be held in the Earl McGovern Board Room at Brown Deer Village Hall, 4800 West Green Brook Drive.

If for some reason an individual cannot speak at the public information session but would still like to provide comments to the assessment team, they may do so by telephone.  The public may call 414-371-2942 on December 17^th between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. or December 18^th between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.  A member of the Assessment Team will be available to take your comments. 

Telephone comments as well as appearances at the public information session are limited to ten minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with WILEAG’s standards.  A copy of the standards is available for review at the Brown Deer Police Department.  For further information contact Lieutenant Nimmer at 414-371-2900.

Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Brown Deer Police Department’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to send those comments to the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group, c/o David Steingraber-Secretary
4760 Schneider Drive, Oregon, WI 53575.

The Brown Deer Police Department will be offering its Citizens Police Academy for area residents.  The Academy will begin on Wednesday, February 4, 2009.  The nine week course, which meets from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., provides insights into police operations and includes a variety of presentations from members of the department.  Applications are available at the Department, 4800 West Green Brook Drive.  Stop by today and pick yours up, we look forward to seeing you there!

Recently the crime information line that had been in place until late last year was resurrected.  Citizens who wish to obtain current information concerning crime and other criminal activity that may affect them can be obtained by calling:

This information is updated weekly.