HORTONVILLE, WI (WTAQ) – The search for answers continues in Hortonville, where the police chief has been put on paid leave for unknown reasons.
Chief Michael Sullivan was put on paid administrative leave October 21, but village leaders refuse to say why. Sullivan, who’s been the police chief for 14 years, had dozens of people show their support for him during a village board meeting last week.
“He’s been put on administrative leave, paid, beginning October 21, that’s the only thing that I can state, that’s the only thing that is public information,” Village Administrator Diane Wessel told WTAQ when reached by phone on Friday.
Wessel was asked when the public can expect to learn what happened with Sullivan.
“Not at this point, it’s in progress,” Wessel replied, without specifying what that meant.
Decisions regarding the position of police chief is handled by the 5-member Board of Police and Fire Commissioners.
“The only quote you’ll get from me is no comment,” says Martin Baker, one of the commission members on Friday. Baker did admit that he doesn’t know what happened or when they will meet next. The last meeting took place October 17.
“That’s dictated by state statute and the PFC is separate from village admin,” Wessel said when asked when she believed the next meeting would take place. WTAQ also relayed that a commission member said they didn’t even know what is going on, to which she commented, “Not at this point because it’s in progress.”
Another issue is who’s currently running the Hortonville Police Department while Sullivan is on paid administrative leave.
“We have a Sergeant who’s his second-in-command,” says Wessel, who identified him as Sgt. Brian Bahr.
Wessel also made one thing clear.
“He’s (Sullivan) not not working for the department. If there’s an emergency or anything we still can contact him and he is required to be accessible at all times,” explained Wessel. “There’s a misunderstanding in the public, my perception and from some of the written things I’ve seen is he has not been suspended. He’s on administrative leave so he still can be acting in an emergency.”
Sullivan did not respond to our request for comment.
