chief Thomas janssen

    Chief Thomas Janssen (Chief Tom), along with his wife and two (now adult) children, came to the Village of Cross Plains Police Department in 2005 as he was appointed Chief of Police.

    Prior to leading the Cross Plains Police Department, Chief Janssen served 20 years with the Manitowoc County Sheriff's Office, beginning in 1985 as a reserve deputy. Within a year, he was quickly offered a full-time position, assigned to the jail division. Following two years of service in the jail division, Chief Janssen was transferred to the patrol division as a patrol deputy. Throughout 20 years of service with the Manitowoc County Sheriff's Office, Chief Janssen rose to the rank of Sergeant and was also a member of the SWAT team for 17 years (sniper for 9 years) and the SCUBA team for 8 years (rising to the rank of team leader).  While serving Manitowoc County, Chief Janssen and a colleague developed a Woman's Self-Defense class, which he still teaches today. Throughout his career, Chief Janssen has put an emphasis on training, both personally and administratively, ensuring he and his subordinates are properly trained and up-to-date on current tactics, trends, and legality.

    Since he began his tenure as Chief in Cross Plains, Chief Janssen has become a staple of the community. He can be found reading to children, teaching hunter safety courses, volunteering with the Lions Club, and even making a cameo appearance with the local boy scouts.

    When he is not working, Chief Janssen can usually be found outdoors: hunting, fishing, camping, and other outdoor activities. And if you ask him about his career goals, he'll be sure to include, "making it to retirement without [peril]," among other things.



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