The Human Resources and Information Technology Committee met 08/27/2025. One of the items they voted on was a request from Policy Chief Polly Olson to change the Police Department’s Table of Organization. She wanted to take two lieutenant positions from one area and move them to another and give them duties associated with professional development training and administration. The committee voted unanimously to recommend the changes be approved.
This change was the first of several prompted by the recently completed Appleton Police Department staffing study conducted by Matrix Consulting Group. Chief Olson touched on some of the highlights of that study at both the Human Resource and Information Technology Committee meeting and the Safety and Licensing Committee meeting.
I’ve prepared a transcript of the discussions at both committee meetings:
Chief Olson was grateful the Common Council had approved the funding for the study to take place this year. The result was an approximately 150-page report. She touched on some of the highlights.
The study findings included some surprises and provided direction for the Police Department to take over the next few years. They would be requesting an additional patrol officer in the upcoming budget cycle. From there, they would evaluate further needs and make additional requests depending on the city’s budget situation. Per Chief Olson, “Regardless of the recommendations we ultimately implement, the actionable strategies illuminated in this study will help guide us in the right direction to ensure we continue our long-standing practice of excellence in policing.”
Additionally, they were going to adjust the schedule for their patrol officers, changing some of the minimum staffing, and easing some of the staffing issues they are currently experiencing due to the way they allot patrol resources.
They will also be adjusting caseloads for investigators to make them more equitable, easing some of the caseloads that seem to heavy, and hopefully increasing production where needed.
The first change she wanted to make was a Table of Organization change. Currently, APD lacks staffing in the training department which is staffed by only one professional development supervisor of oversees their training, equipment, onboarding of new employees, and field training program. The Matrix study’s recommendation was to add two full time officers to that unit, but Chief Olson thought they could meet their needs by reassigning one of their patrol lieutenants to that role.
The end recommendation was to take two existing lieutenants from one section and moving them over to the professional development area and retitling them. Human Resources Director Jay Ratchman told the Human Resources and Information Technology Committee that the change was cost neutral and did not include any salary grade changes.
The Human Resources And Information Technology Committee voted 3-0 to recommend approval of the change.
View full Safety and Licensing Committee Meeting details and video here: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1308970&GUID=821D8226-556C-4CC8-B989-73213FC48425
View full Human Resources and Information Technology Committee Meeting details and video here: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1332090&GUID=63D84758-72FE-4FF3-95CE-BAFB1FCE4178
One thought on “Human Resources And Safety And Licensing Committees Review Matrix Police Staff Study – Human Resources Committee Approves Table Of Organization Change Prompted By Study”