Owen Halls (Neenah Police Department)
NEENAH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A Neenah police officer accused of child pornography possession was arrested and terminated from the department.
The investigation into probationary police officer Owen Halls began on Monday after the Kaukauna police department received an Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) tip.
The next day, evidence was presented to Neenah Police Chief, Aaron Olson, and a plan was made to have Halls arrested.
On Wednesday, multiple search warrants were executed by Kaukauna police.
As a result, Halls was taken into custody. Olson says the department is recommending two counts of possession of child pornography. Formal charges have not been filed.
Olson wrote a statement to the community:
Mr. Halls’ alleged conduct has disgraced our department, our citizens, and law enforcement as a whole. As a result, he has been terminated from our department, and we are following the process to have the Law Enforcement Standards Board (LESB) decertify him as a Wisconsin Law Enforcement Officer. As your police chief, I am sorry. We conduct very thorough backgrounds, but somehow, Mr. Halls was able to deceive all of us. I understand this will and should cause concern. In my seven years as your police chief, nothing has disappointed me more than the reported actions of this former officer. Moving forward, I along with all our Neenah Police Department staff will work extremely hard to rebuild your trust.
Halls was employed by the department since March 25, 2024. He would have been probationary until November 26, 2025.
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