Promotion proposed for Sussex Lieutenant

 Village of Sussex - The Waukesha County Sheriff and village officials are considering elevating the postion of village police service director from the rank of lieutenant to Captain.

In addition to being in charge of the village's 24 hour police patrol, the lieutenant  is also in charge of the daily operations of the sheriff's substation in Sussex.

Deputies who are specifically assigned to the communities of Merton, Sussex, and Lisbon  work from the substation in addition to sheriff's detectives and deputies assigned to other duties in the county.

The communities that have specific deputies assigned to them pay the sheriff's office for the additional police patrols. The police service contract with the Village of Sussex is one of the largest and oldest contracts in the sheriff's department.

Village trustees have occassionally expressed frustrations about police service directors who are assigned to the village for a few years before being promoted to captain assigned new command and supervisor duties.

Village Administrator Jeremy Smith said that since captain is a higher rank than lieutenant and there are fewer captains in the department, a captain serving as village police services director would be less likely to get promoted and reassigned.

Sheriff Dan Trawicki said he would be willing to consider the change in his chain of command if the village is willing to pay for the $14,000 starting salary difference between a lieutenant and captain..

Village of Merton Administrator Tom Nelson said there is a possibility his village board might be willing to share some of Sussex's additional expenses for the new captain. The Village of Merton presently pays a share of the lieutenant's salary for supervising the deputy assigned to the village.

Coincidentally, Village Police Service Director Lt.Torin Misko is the next lieutenant in line for a promotion to captain.