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Stevens Point commission approves several police officers’ permanent status, hires recruits and a firefighter-paramedic
Summary
The Police and Fire Commission on June 2 approved three police officers’ moves from probationary to permanent status, authorized hires of two police recruits and hired a firefighter-paramedic with a recommended starting salary above the entry rate, all by unanimous voice votes.
The City of Stevens Point Police and Fire Commission on June 2 approved multiple personnel actions, including promoting three probationary police officers to permanent status, hiring two police recruits pending screenings, and hiring a firefighter-paramedic with a higher-than-starting wage recommendation.
Police Chief (speaker 7) presented letters recommending that Officer Lisonbee Viatek be moved from probationary to permanent status effective 06/14/2026, citing six months of direct supervision and demonstrated progress. The commission asked Officer Viatek (speaker 8) to speak; the officer described joining the department in July 2024, transitioning from Army law enforcement and said the department helped him "adjust through that and to work through it." A motion to approve the change was made, seconded and carried on a voice vote.
The chief then recommended moving Officer Ryan Florett to permanent status effective 06/19/2026, noting Florett began with the department on 12/19/2024 and that his background includes military service, crisis negotiation and peer-support experience. Florett (speaker 9) said he is "born and raised in Stevens Point" and emphasized a focus on mental-health work and bridging gaps between crisis response and available services. The commission approved the recommendation.
Chief also recommended Officer Bianca Patino pass probation and become permanent effective 06/19/2026, citing consistent progress, teamwork, and multiple performance reviews. Patino (speaker 3) introduced herself and discussed the stresses of police work and the importance of officers’ mental-health care. The commission approved her move to permanent status.
On recruitment, the chief described candidates for two probationary police hires. The commission approved hiring Alex Mantzewski as a probationary recruit with a projected start date of 07/06/2026 pending successful psychological and medical screenings; Mantzewski is enrolled at UW–Stevens Point and completed Mid-State Technical College candidate training. The commission also approved hiring Jenna Rogers as a police recruit pending required screenings, with an expected start and academy placement at Fox Valley Technical College in August 2026.
On the fire side, the Fire Department recommended hiring Megan Sprague as a probationary firefighter-paramedic pending conditional requirements. Because Sprague has years of EMS experience in the Portage County system, the chief recommended starting her at 95% of the full firefighter-paramedic wage under the local bargaining agreement (article 19, section d). The commission approved the hire and the recommended starting rate.
All personnel motions noted in this article were moved, seconded and carried by the commission on voice votes during the June 2 meeting. The commission requested brief updates on some hires at next month’s meeting where noted.
The chief’s personnel presentations and the commission’s approvals bring multiple recruits and a firefighter-paramedic into the Stevens Point public safety workforce and move three officers to permanent status; next procedural steps are the listed effective dates and the required medical and psychological clearances for probationary hires.
