Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin)
BYLINE: JACQUI SEIBEL, Staff, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Village of Hartland, WI
Hartland - A village police officer resigned in lieu of being fired for spending time at his children's school while on duty and then charging the department for overtime. Jeffrey Noennig, 44, had been warned in 2001 and reprimanded in 2004 for similar conduct. Then in 2005, he was demoted from detective to patrol officer and signed an agreement that if caught conducting personal business on duty again he would be fired.
The 18-year veteran was scheduled for a hearing before the Police and Fire Commission on Tuesday but resigned prior to the hearing. Noennig's 2008 salary was $64,922. Chief Robert Rosch said in his statement charging Noennig that because of the officer's conduct, Noennig has "essentially disqualified himself as a credible witness in any future court proceeding in which he might become involved as a witness for the department. This disqualification creates a situation where he will no longer be able to effectively perform the duties of a patrol officer in the Village of Hartland Police Department."
Noennig did not return a phone call seeking comment.
According to the charging document, Noennig was at an FBI task force office in Milwaukee until 2:50 p.m. Dec. 15. He drove to St. John's School in Lannon, where he stayed until 5:05 p.m. He then drove his children home to the City of Pewaukee before returning to the Police Department. He logged 2 hours and 15 minutes of overtime for the day.
During an internal investigation, the chief contends, Noennig lied about where he was that afternoon and then said he was at the school for only five minutes. He said he was at the school for a conference with the principal and a pastor, the document says.
Noennig was accused of violating other rules. During the investigation, a TV was found in Noennig duty bag, suggesting he was using it while on duty. Numerous pieces of evidence that should have been recorded and placed in the evidence room were found in his locker.
In 2001, Noennig received a written warning for entering Hartland North Elementary while on duty wearing plain-clothes and carrying a gun but failing to notify school personnel that he was a police officer. He was inquiring about receiving topsoil from a construction site at the school for the house he was building.
In 2004, he was reprimanded for using the department's cell phone for personal business. He had to repay $94 in phone charges.
In 2005, he was demoted to patrol officer and signed a "last chance" agreement after he was caught conducting personal business involving his limousine company while on duty for the department.
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