By Shereen Siewert
Stevens Point Police Chief Marty Skibba resigned today amid ongoing concerns about his performance in office.
Earlier this year Skibba had been placed on a 15-day administrative leave and was issued a notice of disciplinary action after information surfaced that he had consumed alcohol while on duty.
During the suspension, the Police and Fire Commission reviewed additional allegations that prompted a no-confidence vote and further investigation. Those allegations, investigated by the Wausau Police Department, have not been made public.
But Greg Bean, president of the officers’ union, released a statement that voiced additional concern and said union leaders were “dismayed” at the way in which the initial investigation into Skibba’s misconduct was conducted. Stevens Point City Attorney A. Logan Beveridge spearheaded that investigation and resulted in a penalty that Bean called “disproportionately lax compared to what any other officer in the department could expect to receive in that situation.”
The union expressed concerns in early April to the Commission and urged a more thorough investigation into Skibba’s alleged misconduct.
In his resignation letter issued Friday, Skibba said he was struggling with the death of his father and with his separation from his wife of 27 years.
“I take full responsibility for what I did and the discipline invoked by my policy violations,” Skibba said in his resignation letter. “I am working with a professional counselor on a regular basis to resolve and face my bereavement issues, separation, and issues I have developed with the consumption of alcohol.”
Assistant chief Tom Zenner has been named interim chief.
