Rapsheet
Fall 2007
Volume IV, Issue 1
Contact
Information
Criminal Justice Office
428 Warner • 342.1622
Amy Borgen
[email protected]
Sheri Kratcha
[email protected]
Gerald Berge
402 Warner • 342.1676
[email protected]
Tom Caywood
422 Warner • 342.1644
[email protected]
Aric Dutelle
407 Warner • 342.1596
[email protected]
Steve Elmer
422 Warner • 342.1644
[email protected]
Cheryl Fuller
410 Warner • 342.1652
[email protected]
Joe LeFevre
404 Warner • 342.1676
[email protected]
Joe Lomax
425 Warner • 342.1621
[email protected]
Amy Nemmetz
408 Warner • 342.1494
[email protected]
Deb Rice
402 Warner • 342.1676
[email protected]
Bob Roberts
419 Warner • 342.1419
[email protected]
Ed Ross
421 Warner • 342.1659
[email protected]
Kathryn Winz
420 Warner • 342.1650
[email protected]
University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Platteville Explorers
attend the Wisconsin
Police Explorer
Academy at Camp
Douglas over the
summer. From left to
right: Chris Kunert,
Lynn Hartung,
Shawn Phillips, and
Mike Spenle.
Platteville Police Explorer Post
by Lynn Hartung
Are you interested in learning more about law
enforcement and a way to beef up your resume?
If so, then the Platteville Police Explorer post
is the answer you are looking for! Platteville is
fortunate enough to have the Platteville Police
Explorer Post 480, sponsored by the local police
department. I am a junior majoring in criminal
justice and have been involved in the Explorer
Post for almost three years. I started in the post
as the chair of the fundraising committee. I was
then elected to 1st Lieutenant, and currently
hold the position of Captain. I think that it
is great that the police department is willing
to teach and inform young adults about a law
enforcement career. Through Explorers, I have
been able to gain leadership skills, foster new
friendships, and acquire specific knowledge and
experience within the field of law enforcement.
As an Explorer, you may be asked to provide
assistance to the Platteville Police Department
with tasks such as community events, special
projects and crowd control at parades. You
may also be able to participate in the police
departments ride-along program; providing
a front row seat to the daily tasks of a police
officer. During recent Explorer meetings, we
have had speakers provide us with a vast array of
experiences and information regarding the field
of law enforcement. We have been fortunate
to have members of the Richland/Iowa/Grant
Drug Task Force, Grant County K-9 Unit and
the Wisconsin State Patrol come and speak to us
about their part in law enforcement. We have also
been able to learn and experience interviewing,
defense and arrest tactics, traffic stops/high risk
traffic stops, communication in law enforcement,
basics of crime scene investigation, room
clearing and many other exciting topics. The
guest speakers and training that we receive helps
prepare us for competitions in which we compete
against other posts from around the state and
country. This past summer, the Explorer Post
was fortunate enough to attend the Wisconsin
Police Explorer Academy at Camp Douglas. The
Academy gave us the opportunity to have handson learning and interact with other Posts from
Wisconsin. The Police Explorers is also excellent
preparation for students who are interested in
a law enforcement career. Explorers is open to
anyone ages 15 to 20.
If you are interested in Police Explorers, contact
Lynn Hartung at [email protected].
Study Abroad – A Great Opportunity for CJ Majors
by Russ Braby, Study Abroad advisor, Institute for Study Abroad Programs, UW-Platteville
How can a study abroad experience
enhance your major? How can it not?
By studying abroad, students can
complete major related coursework,
enhance their academic program by
experiencing how their field is taught
in other countries, improve their
marketability upon graduation, and
gain insightful intercultural skills that
will apply not just in the workplace,
but also in their daily lives.
In the last three years, 17 criminal
justice majors have chosen to spend a
semester abroad on one of the study
abroad programs offered by UWP’s
Institute for Study Abroad Programs
(ISAP). Over half of these students
chose to go on the ISAP’s most
popular program in Seville, Spain.
No doubt the reason most of these
students chose to study in Spain was
to improve their Spanish language
skills in order to prepare themselves
for the real world. This was exactly
Seville, Spain
the plan that 2006 criminal justice
alumna Katie Czys had when she studied abroad in Merida,
Venezuela. After graduating, Czys directly applied her experiences
and skills learned abroad to a position working as a correctional
and patrol officer for the Grant County Sherriff’s Department.
Czys also worked parttime as an officer for the Lancaster Police
Department assisting with Spanish translation services.
UWP students choosing to study in Spain will be studying at the
Spanish-American Institute (SAI) of Seville. This is the ISAP’s
oldest program having started in 1984. Since its inception,
thousands of students from colleges and universities across the
U.S. have chosen UWP’s program at the SAI for study abroad.
Though there is no coursework at the SAI in criminal justice,
students can complete courses to satisfy general education
requirements in the following categories: humanities, fine
arts, historical perspective, social science, and physical activity.
In fact, regardless of coursework
taken, students will satisfy the
international education general
education requirement when they
study abroad on any UWP program.
The Spanish-American Institute can
also cater to students who want to
hone in on their Spanish language
skills by offering an intensive language
program. A student enrolling in this
program takes classes only in Spanish
at the appropriate level.
While the second most popular
program for criminal justice students
has been to London, a few others have
chosen to go abroad to Fiji, Australia
and a UWP affiliate program in
Costa Rica. This coming spring
semester criminal justice students
Alex Albright and Kirsten Ardolf
will be studying in Seville, Spain and
Newcastle, Australia, respectively.
Back on campus from studying
abroad in the spring of 2007 are
criminal justice students Kelli Tyler,
Lauren Juncer and Matt Johnson. This fall, two criminal justice
majors are spending their semesters abroad. Ben Dingman is
studying at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji, and Jocelyn
Dawson at St. Mary’s College in London.
If you know or happen to meet any of these students do not
hesitate to ask them about their experience abroad. My guess is
that they will all say that it was one of the best experiences of their
lives. So what are you waiting for? Contact the Study Abroad
Office to set up an advising appointment. I will be happy to
help you with any of your questions and help you decide which
program is right for you.
For more information, please visit us at the Institute for Study
Abroad Programs at 111 Royce Hall, go to our website www.
uwplatt.edu/studyabroad/ or call 608.342.1726.
Congratulations to the following
December Criminal Justice Graduates
Aaron Blomberg
Eric Boyle
Codey Bratz
Jacob Brown
Jacob Cirian
Kyle Erickson
Peter Fry, II
Daniel Gilardi
Jeremy Gitzlaff
Ashley Gordon
Gina Hilmanowski
Lance Katers
Jesse Kellog
Danielle Kruser
Amanda Martin
Christopher Miles
Daniel Nehls
Matthew Potratz
Jenell Riechers
Kevin Schlatter
Justin Storey
Kelli Tyler
Tiffany Warner
Amy White
Dana White
Platteville 1866 Funds Help Support UWP Forensic
Investigation Research Facility
by Lisa D. McLean
of death. Criminal justice majors and
minors will receive firsthand experiential
learning from the facility.
Aric Dutelle, lecturer for the criminal
justice program at the University of
Wisconsin-Platteville, obtained $4,700
in funding through the Platteville 1866
Fund for the Forensic Investigation
Research Facility at the Pioneer Farm.
The Platteville 1866 Fund supports a
wide range of student-driven projects
and programs. These include, but are not Students enrolled in CJ2520, Crime Scene Processing
limited to, scholarships, student research, Techniques, excavate a gravesite at the FIRF.
tutoring and student assistance, cultural
enrichment, historical activities, studentdriven entrepreneurial endeavors and
new initiatives to support extra-curricular
activities that benefit a significant number
of UWP students.
“The 1866 Fund allowed the criminal
justice department to put up fencing,
concrete structures and to purchase
supplies needed for classroom and
research use,” said Dutelle.
Michael Annable and Marissa Johnson conduct
The criminal justice department has research at the FIRF.
partnered with the Pioneer Farm for the research facility,
which will sit on a little over a half acre of land. The Forensic
Investigation Research Facility is the first of its kind in the
northern U.S. and will allow criminal justice faculty and
students to conduct on-going research into northern climaterelated effects on body decomposition. The results of such
research can be critical in death investigations, helping forensic
investigators determine such factors as the time and cause
New Staff Spotlight
by Joseph LeFevre
Joe LeFevre is a native of northern
Wisconsin but spent much of his
younger years growing up in the
Madison and Appleton areas. After
graduating from Appleton West,
LeFevre came to UWP where
he received an undergraduate
degree and a graduate degree in
criminal justice. On campus as an
undergrad, LeFevre was involved
in a number of campus activities
including the CJA, Sigma Pi fraternity and a number of
intramural sports teams (including championship broomball
and water polo teams). After college, LeFevre was hired by the
“Our hope is to develop the research
facility to train students and law
enforcement on what to look for and how
to interpret a crime scene specifically for
the tri-state area,” commented Dutelle.
Only two other facilities of this kind are
located in the continental U.S., both in
southern states: University of Tennessee
Forensic Anthropology Facility, in
Knoxville, and the Decomposition
Research Station operated by Western
Carolina University in Cullowhee, N.C.
As addressed in a January-February
2007 article in “Evidence Technology
Magazine,” the lack of these types of
research facilities yields a lack in vital
data to support death investigations in
various climates.
One-third of the facility will be dedicated to classroom
application while the rest of the facility is to be used for
forensic research. Dutelle currently has two student research
assistants, Michael Annable and Marissa Johnson. As part of
“CJ Honors Research,” the students must submit an original
research proposal and then conduct research and present on
their findings. The hope is that the research will be published
and assist in criminal investigations within the tri-state area.
Platteville Police where he worked until accepting a teaching
position here at UWP.
In addition to the police work, LeFevre joined the Platteville
Volunteer Fire Department. He continues to be an active
member of the fire department. LeFevre takes great pride in
his position as an engineer for the fire department, which
means he is responsible for actually driving those big red
trucks.
His wife, Heather, is the owner of a local restaurant and
catering business called Meal Time. Away from the work
environments, LeFevre is involved in number of hobbies.
From an early age he has been involved in photography
and bike riding. Additionally over the years he learned to
scuba dive and now plans vacation trips around good diving
locations, including Key West, Nassau and Aruba.
View from the Chair
by Dr. Tom Caywood
In my last column for the May 07
edition of the Rapsheet I wrote
and said not to be surprised if
changes had taken place. Well,
several changes occurred. First we
hire three new faculty members.
Bob Roberts comes to us from the
Fox Valley Technical College. Bob
brings a wealth of knowledge to us
about the criminal justice system.
Amy Nemmetz, a certified social
worker, comes from the Madison area where she held several
criminal justice positions. She is our undergraduate online
coordinator and also teaches courses on campus. Joe LeFevre,
recently from the Platteville Police Department, teaches
a variety of law enforcement and forensic investigations
courses. We had one faculty member, Dr. Laura Khoury,
depart in August to accept a position at UW - Parkside.
We wish her the best.
The Forensic Investigations Research Facility is up and
running. We will be moving to a larger space in the near
future. We will be relocating across the street from the current
site.
The departmental writing proficiency exam is offered several
times each semester. There are a number of upper division
courses that require passing this examination as a prereq.
You should plan on taking this exam as a sophomore or even
second semester freshman. You will not be waived into classes
because you have not taken this exam.
I wish all you well this semester, and for you, take time to
reflect over the semester break. We continue to grow as a
department. Exciting times lay ahead.
Stay tuned for the next exciting edition of the Rapsheet.
The big move is to take place during the semester break. So
when you come back in the spring, we will be (or should be)
in the Ullsvik Hall, our new digs. There are four classrooms
for us in this building. So this should eliminate some of the
cross campus travel for classes.
Online Criminal Justice Program Highlights
Instructor Amy Nemmetz is
ecstatic to return to her alma
mater as an in instructor in the
criminal justice department! She
graduated from UW-Platteville in
1999 with a Bachelor of Science
degree in criminal justice and in
2005 with a Master of Science
degree in criminal justice. In
2000, Nemmetz also obtained her
Wisconsin Social Work License.
Nemmetz has had an opportunity to be a part of several criminal
justice entities. More specifically, she worked with UWPlatteville Campus Police as a community officer, the Platteville
Police Department as a dispatcher and 911 telecommunicator,
and completed an internship with probation and parole while
working on her undergraduate degree. Following college, she
was able to work with juvenile offenders at a group home,
criminal offenders in court ordered transitional housing, serve
as an interim director for Volunteers in Probation, and for Dane
County Court’s Alternatives to Incarceration Program as the
electronic monitoring social worker with jail diversion clients in
bail monitoring, drug court, and electronic monitoring. After
working with Dane County Courts for four years, Nemmetz
transferred into child protection. While working for Dane
County Human Services Child Protection Intake Unit, she
conducted child maltreatment investigations. Her multiple job
duties included conducting forensic cognitive graphic interviews
with child victims of abuse, teaming with law enforcement on
child maltreatment investigations, assisting with perpetrator
interviews, participating in a multi-disciplinary team at a child
advocacy center, taking emergency custody of abused children,
and participating in the court process – testifying, writing
petitions, and preparing court reports.
Nemmetz became an adjunct instructor for UW-Platteville’s
criminal justice distance education program in 2005. This
fall, she was hired full time by the UW-Platteville Criminal
Justice Department. She now serves as the coordinator for the
distance education undergraduate criminal justice program and
an instructor.
CJ Internships
by Ed Ross
If you are considering the possibility of an internship placement
for this summer, the time is NOW to submit the required
paperwork. The first thing to do is to make sure that you meet
the pre-requisites. This includes: you must have junior standing,
have a cumulative GPA of 2.25, have 60 credits plus 12 upper
division credits, and have passed the CJ department’s writing
proficiency examination. You also have to fill out an application,
which can be obtained from Sheri or Amy at the CJ office, along
with providing an unofficial copy of your transcripts.
Internships have been a very positive experience for students, it
provides an opportunity to experience what it is really like in the
“real world.” It also provides a possible inroad to employment
with the internship and/or a positive job reference.
Internship placement can be with almost any agency within
the criminal justice system. A number of different agencies are
limited in regards to the number of interns they may take, so
it is important to apply early. If you have a question about the
placement or the appropriateness of such placement, please
contact your advisor.
The CJ Department encourages anyone who is considering a
career in the field of criminal justice to take advantage of this
opportunity.
An internship is for eight credits. It requires a total time
commitment of 320 hours with an agency. Daily and weekly
reports are required and these are submitted to your UWP
internship coordinator.
Summer Internship
by Rebecca Woodworth
This past summer, I was fortunate
enough to intern with the Green Bay
Police Department and it was by far
one of the best experiences of my life. I
started my career in criminal justice with
a very narrow mind. I wanted to become
a crime scene technician and I barely
gave any thought to any other area. This
all changed once I spent eight weeks
getting acquainted with all the different
areas of the criminal justice field.
The knowledge and stories that I have
gained from this hands-on experience
are endless. The people that I have met
were absolutely amazing and the events
that I experienced were even better. For
the first eight weeks of my summer I did
everything from spending a day with
dispatch to witnessing my very first
crime scene.
What I realized however, during these
eight weeks, was that I had absolutely
no idea how many different areas I could
apply myself to. I actually became very
befuddled. I had thought that I knew
exactly what I wanted to do with my
life and all of a sudden I was not so sure
anymore. Not that I wanted to change
my major, but it completely changed
my perspective. I never thought of
myself as a police officer. But after
spending roughly three weeks riding
along with various officers, I realized how
much more knowledge I could gain by
spending time on the street before getting
into other areas. This job is never boring.
We got calls including everything from a
lost 5 year-old autistic child, to a rescue
mission of five cats and a dog out of a
Habitat for Humanity house that was
completely destroyed by the people who
lived there.
I was also able to spend two weeks with
the Detective Division, two days with
the Drug Task Force and a week with the
Forensic Unit. While with the detectives,
I got to witness a photo line-up, help
with a search warrant on a sexual assault
case, and witness an interview involving
a string of Subway robberies. With
the drug unit, I was able to witness my
first drug bust. Now that will get your
adrenaline pumping seeing four officers
come around a corner with vests and guns
drawn yelling “get on the ground!” to a
crack dealer. However, out of everything
that I had witnessed, the most exciting
event by far happened during the eighth
week when I was assigned to the Forensic
Unit.
That Monday, I accompanied the Forensic
Unit to a crime scene. The previous
night, a man was driving drunk and
hit two people. One of the victims was
thrown away from the car and was taken
to a nearby hospital when paramedics
arrived. The other victim, however, was
thrown halfway through the windshield
of the car. The driver, so intoxicated that
he was barely aware of what happened,
drove home, parked the car in his garage
and passed out once he got into his house.
This all happened with the victim still in
the windshield. The next morning he
woke up and found the body and called
the police.
When we arrived, the media was
everywhere, the crime scene tape was
up and I was allowed to go behind it. I
was able to go into the garage and see the
body. Once the body was taken out of the
car, I was asked if I wanted to go witness
his autopsy. I accepted and was fortunate
enough to actually fingerprint the corpse
and witness another autopsy as well.
I do not know how else to explain my
experience other than to say how happy I
am that I did it. Not only was it exciting,
but it was also a huge eye opener. I
graduate in May of this year and I now
find myself thinking of other areas I may
want to explore in this field. However, it
has also made me confident in knowing
that working in the criminal justice field
is exactly what I want to do with the rest
of my life.
Criminal Justice Association
by Eugene Woehrle, CJA president
I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to join the
Criminal Justice Association (CJA) during an exciting year
for us! The Criminal Justice Association is made up of UWP
students who are interested in the many areas of study that
criminal justice is composed of. We get together every other
Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m. in the Pioneer Student Center to
establish professional contacts and listen to many interesting
and distinguished speakers from across all spectrums of criminal
justice. We also participate in numerous community service
activities, and sponsor a twice-yearly scholarship of $250 to a
deserving active CJA member.
Joining CJA is very easy – simply come to one of our meetings
and introduce yourself. In order to become an active member,
we only ask that you attend a minimum of four meetings a
semester, participate in two community service activities a
semester, and pay a yearly dues amount of $25. This is a fantastic
way to get to know your professors and fellow classmates,
as well as an invaluable way to learn about exciting career
opportunities, gain personal contacts and network, build your
resume, and gain knowledge of the field you will be working in
some day. Come and check it out – I hope to see you there.
Congratulations
to the following UWP students who participated in
the 520 hour Law Enforcement Training Academy
this past summer, taught by Southwest Technical
College, and hosted by UWP:
Marcus Anderson
Erling Antony
Nathan Auz
Brittany Borkowski
Jonathan Cerqua
Shane Eggleson
Shane Freiburger
Justin Gehm
Lance Katers
Zachery Kroll
Andrew Mason
Kristine Purkapile
Sarah Reis
Mark Richardson
Cole Sargent
Chad Schaub
Looking for a Job?
Did you know that each week the UW-Platteville criminal
justice website is updated with current job opportunities in
the state of Wisconsin? Please visit the following webpage:
www.uwplatt.edu/cj/cjvacancies.htm if you are searching for
a CJ related-job. The website also provides links to other CJrelated employment search engines. If you know of a job and
would like to share it with others, please e-mail Amy Borgen
([email protected]) so she can add it to the webpage.
From the Editor
by Aric Dutelle
As we approach the holiday season, I wanted
to take a moment to make you aware of
a memorial tradition related to criminal
justice. Entitled “Project Blue Light,” the
tradition of displaying blue lights began in
Philadelphia in 1989 as a tribute to police
officers killed in the line of duty. Since
then, local agencies throughout the country
have adopted and promoted the program.
Every year, thousands of blue lights shine
nationwide during the holiday season to
honor and remember those law enforcement
officers who have given their lives in service
to the profession. The blue lights also thank
those officers who continue to work in
America each and every day of the year. Please
consider doing your part to honor those who
have served before you, who have given the
ultimate sacrifice, and who continue to serve
our communities and our country within
the criminal justice sector. Happy holiday to
each and every one of you.
Printed copies are also available in the CJ office.
If you have comments or suggestions about the CJ Rapsheet, or if you would like to contribute, please send an e-mail to
Aric Dutelle at [email protected]. The CJ Rapsheet is published twice a semester.