Greenfield police chief on administrative leave; assistant chief appointed role

Yahoo

01-05-2025

The Brief
Greenfield Police Chief Jay Johnson was placed on administrative leave on Friday, April 25 over "workplace concerns."
The Police and Fire Commission appointed Assistant Chief Eric Lindstrom to fill the role on Wednesday night, April 30.
Lindstrom has been with the department since 2003.
GREENFIELD, Wis. - The mayor of Greenfield tells FOX6 News that "workplace concerns" are the reasons why that city's police chief is now on leave.
What we know
Greenfield Mayor Michael Neitzke said Police Chief Jay Johnson was placed on administrative leave on Friday, April 25.
Johnson has been the head of the Greenfield Police Department since 2019, when he was appointed chief of police. But Johnson has worked for the department for much longer. He started his time with Greenfield as an officer back in 1992 and has been a captain and lieutenant.
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Officials say Johnson was placed on administrative leave "while the city conducts an independent review of workplace concerns."
What they're saying
Mayor Neitzke said the following in a statement:
"...Because this is a personnel matter and the review is ongoing, the City will not be providing additional details at this time. Our priority is to ensure a thorough, fair process and to maintain the continued safety and effective service of the Greenfield Police Department for our community."
FOX6 News also reached out to Common Council members and they referred back to Neitzke's statement.
FOX6 News also reached out to Police and Fire Commission members but have not heard back.
What's next
On Wednesday evening, April 30, the five-member commission went into closed session during a special meeting to discuss the appointment of an acting police chief. They unanimously voted for Assistant Chief Eric Lindstrom to fill the role.
FOX6 News tried to speak with Lindstrom, but was told he was not doing any interviews.
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According to the city's website, Lindstrom has been with the department since 2003. He was promoted to patrol sergeant in 2015, detective sergeant in 2017 and captain in 2018.
The Greenfield Common Council also had a special meeting and approved hiring a private investigative firm – but it is unclear if that decision is related to Johnson.
The Source
The information in this post was produced by FOX6 News.