Police Sergeant

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse; La Crosse (WI); On-site; USD 64,000 - 86,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid vacation

Health insurance

Paid holidays

Retirement plan

Job summary

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is seeking a Police Sergeant–Patrol to coordinate department operations during shifts and guide sworn officers in investigations and routine duties.

The role requires strong leadership, decision-making in emergencies, and a commitment to inclusive excellence while ensuring campus safety and property protection. This is a full-time, 12-month position with Wisconsin benefits and background check requirements.

Qualifications

• Strong written and oral communication abilities.
• Proven ability to interact with diverse campus populations.
• Experience coordinating team operations and supervision.
• Knowledge of emergency response procedures and incident management.
• Valid driver’s license and driving for UWL vehicles.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate department operations during shifts and with supervisors.
• Direct patrols and investigations by sworn officers.
• Provide guidance to dispatch staff and support parking operations.
• Lead staff mentoring and coaching within the unit.
• Ensure compliance with policies, safety, and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Communication skills

Public relations

Supervisory ability

Emergency response

Driving license

Job description

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Position Title

Police Sergeant

Job Category

University Staff

Employment Type

Regular

Job Profile

Police Sergeant

Job Duties

Job Description

Police Services at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UWL) is seeking applications for a full-time Police Sergeant – Patrol. The primary responsibility of the Police Sergeant-Patrol is coordination of department operations when on duty and in conjunction with other Department Supervisors. This includes the day to day supervision of the department’s staff. Due to the nature and the size of the department, the Sergeant must frequently perform many of the same duties as the police officers within the department but also be an integral part of all the operations of the department. During the assigned shift, the Sergeant will be expected to make operational and personnel decisions affecting the safety of the campus student, staff, and general public, and security for the capital assets and buildings of the University. This includes immediate and decisive action during emergencies and command-level decisions until their sworn superiors return to duty. During their tour of duty the Police Sergeant-Patrol will direct patrols and investigative operations of the sworn officers; provide guidance to the evening dispatch staff; provide administrative support to the parking operation; and perform police and security activities.

Due to the nature of this position and the need for coverage for emergencies, scheduling, etc. the person selected for the position is required to establish (if not already) and maintain residency within one hour’s response time of the UWL Police Headquarters. Response time may be measured by driving during the least congested time period and obeying all traffic regulations. This condition must be met within three (3) months of starting employment. Exceptions to this condition may only be granted by the Chief of Police.

The successful applicant in Police Services will demonstrate a commitment to inclusive excellence and an ability to work with students and colleagues.

This is a full-time, annual (12 month) position that includes a State of Wisconsin benefits package.

Employment will require a criminal background check/investigation. A pending criminal charge or conviction will not necessarily disqualify an applicant. In compliance with the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act, UW-La Crosse does not discriminate on the basis of arrest or conviction record. Employment will also be contingent on a psychological test, physical test and drug screening.

The review of applications starts on September 24, 2026. Applications received on or before September 24th are prioritized and review will continue until the position(s) is/are filled. Initial interviews will be conducted virtually, with shortlisted candidates invited to campus.

UW-La Crosse does not offer H-1B or other work authorization visa sponsorship for this position. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and maintain work authorization throughout the employment term. If you have questions regarding this, please contact Human Resources at 608-785-8013.

Serves as a Campus Security Authority as defined by the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus crime Statistics Act (Clery Act).

Key Job Responsibilities

• May exercise supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 FTE or equivalent employees
• Engages in problem solving, threat assessment/mitigation and conflict resolution for a wide range of issues and incidents involving citizens, groups, campus entities, government agencies, businesses, leaders, and others
• Develops and communicates directives to staff and monitors compliance with rules and regulations
• Schedules logistics and resources to protection of life, property, and the preservation of peace and good order; and provides emergency aid to the institutional community
• Provides leadership, mentoring and coaching to unit staff

Department

UW La Crosse Police Department

Compensation

$36.06/ hour

Required Qualifications

• 3-4 years’ experience in law enforcement.
• Must have completed or be currently enrolled & will complete a WI Department of Justice “Law Enforcement Recruit \" training course, & be eligible for certification upon employment by WI Law Enforcement Standards Board (LESB) as a Law Enforcement Officer or be a certified Law Enforcement Officer in another state and eligible for certification by WI LESB.
• Possess a valid Wisconsin driver’s license or a valid driver’s license from another state.
• Meet the requirements to be authorized to drive a UWL vehicle.
• The ability to perform the essential functions of a police officer.
• Knowledge of emergency vehicle operation procedures and ability to drive a vehicle in emergency mode.
• The ability to use all standard law enforcement equipment (e.g. firearm and ammunition, radio/video/photography equipment, TASER Electronic Control Device, etc.
• Knowledge of evidence preservation techniques, including photography and other standard evidence collection techniques.
• Knowledge of the proper preparation of all reports, forms and processing of arrested persons.
• Knowledge of crowd management techniques.
• Knowledge of appropriate state and federal statutes, laws, and administrative rules and regulations.
• Knowledge of investigation and arrest techniques.
• The ability to observe and accurately recall facts or details about persons, events, accidents or crime scenes, physical conditions and individuals’ behavior.
• Effective written, oral and interpersonal communication skills.
• Effective public relations techniques to communicate clearly and concisely, interact with, and be respectful of a diverse community of students, co-workers, faculty/staff, guests and the general public.
• The ability to maintain proficiency in technical aspects of law enforcement (e.g. CPR, first aid, AED, defensive tactics, firearms qualification, physical fitness, and emergency vehicle operation).
• Basic computer skills to perform data entry and retrieval (e.g. word processing, database and internet).

Preferred Qualifications

• 4-5 years’ experience in law enforcement.
• Previous supervisory experience including training techniques and employee performance evaluation methods.

Contact Information

Melanie Korish, [e-mail]

Application deadlines

TO ENSURE CONSIDERATION: Priority consideration is given to those candidates who apply by the listed ‘First Review Date’.

Applications received after that date may be considered at the discretion of the search committee. Application materials will be evaluated, and the most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process. Incomplete and/or late application materials may not receive consideration. If you have questions regarding this recruitment, or if you are not able to complete the application online due to a disability or system problem, please contact the Office of Human Resources.

Confidentiality of Applicant Materials

UWL is a state agency and subject to Wisconsin’s Open Records Law. UWL will not, however, reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing except as may be required by Wisconsin’s Open Records law. In certain circumstances, the identities of “final candidates” and/or the identity of the appointed applicant must be revealed upon request.

CBC & Reference Check Policy

All candidates for employment are subject to a pre-employment screening which includes a criminal background check, work authorization, and verification of education. It will also require you and your references to answer questions regarding sexual violence and sexual harassment.

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (Clery Act)

For the UWL Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports (i.e., Clery Report), which includes statistics about reported crimes and information about campus security policies, see http://www.uwlax.edu/student-life/student-resources/annual-security-report/ or contact the University Police Department at 608.785.9000.

Informationaboutyourbenefits

Your benefits add an additional 40%+ to the overall financial package from the university.

Highlights Include

• Paid vacation for 12-month positions.
• Excellent flexible health insurance with low co-pays and good coverage.
• Paid holidays and paid sick days.
• After 5 years of employment, you become vested in our retirement system which ensures income post-career.
• Benefits atUWLare highly competitive with local industry and some of the strongest in state and nation.

Benefit eligibility is determined at the point of hire. This information is provided for illustrative purposes only. Benefits are also pro-rated based on the appointment percentage.

UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other bases protected by applicable federal or State law and UW System policies. We are committed to building a workforce that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.