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Wood County fundraisers boost training and gear for special response and peer‑support teams
Summary
Chief Deputy Quinton Ellis credited community fundraisers — including a 'Back the Badge' bench-press meet and local memorial car show — with raising money for the sheriff's special response team and for a critical-incident stress management program that supports first responders.
Chief Deputy Quinton Ellis of the Wood County Sheriff's Department said community fundraisers have helped pay for specialized training and equipment for the sheriff's special response team and for the department's critical-incident stress management program. Ellis gave the update during a July 1, 2026 interview on WFHR.
Ellis said the recent 'Back the Badge' bench-press event, organized in part by Team Rapids at Lincoln High School and hosted at Anchor Bay, drew law enforcement and fire personnel and raised funds earmarked for the special response team. "Sheriff Becker puts a ton of time and effort into this event, too, to raise money for our special response team," Ellis said, adding that community donations help buy training and equipment that may not fit the regular budget.
The special response team is a SWAT-style unit composed of deputies, cooperating officers from other agencies and trained specialists — negotiators and sharpshooters — who receive additional training and equipment for responses to barricaded suspects, active-shooter incidents and hostage situations, Ellis said. He described membership as an extra commitment for officers who otherwise perform regular patrol or investigative duties.
Ellis also described a memorial car-show fundraiser held in memory of Andrew Mueller that the family runs to promote availability of epinephrine and public awareness about severe allergic reactions. He said the family's work has already contributed to a life being saved in Wood County and pointed to recently released body-camera footage from an incident in Wisconsin Rapids as an example of the importance of timely response and available medication.
Another community event, Bluegrass at the Lake, continues to support the department's SISM team, which provides debriefings after fatal crashes and other traumatic events to help first responders with mental-health concerns. "We put mental health at the forefront," Ellis said, calling the volunteer support "a feel-good way" to help staff and the community.
Ellis said the department tries not to rely solely on taxpayer dollars for specialized gear and training and that fundraisers allow the department to expand capabilities while remaining fiscally responsible.
The interview closed with Ellis thanking event organizers and residents who support these efforts. No formal actions or budget votes were announced during the program.
