Candidates emphasize communication, targeted recruiting and training to build trust in Middleton

Candidates for Middleton police chief offered similar prescriptions for strengthening community policing while emphasizing different tactics.

Steven Thompson said Middleton already has neighborhood-watch structures to build rapport and recommended “casting a pretty wide net” with strategic partnerships at educational institutions to recruit diverse candidates. “If our police department is making good connections with our educational institutes … we can really capitalize,” Thompson said.

Jeremy Geiser, a captain with the Middleton Police Department, framed the issue as one of communication: “It all comes down to communication,” he said, naming social media, public events and direct outreach to groups that might not otherwise speak with police. Geiser also highlighted hiring for character and sustained training to retain officers.

Warren Allen, who served for decades with the Milwaukee Police Department, urged surveying neighborhoods and reviewing standard operating procedures with community leaders to identify problem areas and improve transparency. “Transparency in how we do things, being upfront, being honest … all of that builds trust,” Allen said.

All three candidates tied recruitment to long-term trust-building: school resource officer roles were described as both community work and recruitment pipelines. The candidates also recommended more universal crisis-intervention training to ensure officers can respond safely to residents experiencing mental-health crises.

The forum offered residents a chance to compare candidates’ approaches; no formal policy was adopted at the event.