By Jacqueline Seibel
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
BROOKFIELD, Wis. — While they were supposed to be training, three firefighters intentionally doused personal vehicles belonging to town police officers with potentially damaging hydrant water, setting off a feud with the Police Department and a six-month internal investigation, according to investigative records released Monday.
Fire Chief Andrew Smerz’s investigation into the July 23 incident led to a finding that the firefighters falsified training records. Two firefighters received written warnings, and a third firefighter is taking his case before the Police and Fire Commission. Two police officers received verbal warnings for their reaction to the incident, the investigation records say.
The Journal Sentinel filed a request for information regarding the incident under state open records law.
According to the investigation, police Sgt. Tony Bertram found his vehicle wet as a window on his truck had been open when it was sprayed with water, damaging a stroller inside. He confronted the firefighters and then told them he was calling the fire chief. Smerz told his firefighters to wash the sprayed cars.
The town paid Bertram $132.62 for the loss of the stroller.
A week after the verbal altercation, Fire Lt. Brian Loomis and firefighter Jim Gaulke filed a complaint against Bertram and police Capt. Tim Imler, stating that the police officers abused their authority and violated several town policies.
In his complaint, Gaulke said he offered to wash Bertram’s vehicle, but Bertram wouldn’t accept, telling Gaulke: “I am tired of your adolescent 12-year-old behavior. I don’t trust you as far as I can spit.”
Gaulke said Bertram accused the firefighters of intentionally spraying two vehicles belonging to police officers, saying no other vehicles around those were wet, including some belonging to firefighters.
Bertram also accused the firefighters of purposely spraying police squads on July 4. Gaulke, a 15-year Fire Department veteran, said Bertram accused him of being a troublemaker, liar and untrustworthy and the reason that former Fire Chief Alex Felde lost his position.
Felde, who was part time, left when the town changed the position to full time. Felde has filed a federal lawsuit against the town.
Loomis, an 11-year Fire Department veteran, said he saw that the vehicles were getting wet during their training on the west side of the Town Hall parking lot and told firefighter David Balzer, a 13-year veteran, to redirect the spray.
Imler, the police captain, confronted the firefighters and questioned why he would have to devote a busy detective to the situation and accused the firefighters of having little to do, Loomis said in his statement.
Police Chief Chris Perket investigated the actions of his officers only, stating in a Nov. 28 letter to Town Administrator Richard Czopp that the actions of Bertram and Imler were “uncharacteristic.”
Each of them received a verbal warning.
Also in the letter, Perket tells Czopp that he doesn’t believe that the spraying of the vehicles was accidental or unintentional. The water that comes from hydrants is hard and can cause damage, and firefighters should know that, Perket says.
Perket also says he is concerned about the way the complaints were made by the firefighters, which he said seemed to bypass protocol.
“It appears the complaints were filed with a greater purpose designed to publicly humiliate my department and members of my command staff.”
Training investigated
During his internal investigation, Smerz learned that the three firefighters -- Loomis, Gaulke and Balzer -- signed the training roster July 23 but did not participate in required training.
The case against Loomis is pending and will be discussed at a future Police and Fire Commission meeting, but both Gaulke and Balzer received written warnings.
Both Gaulke and Balzer have a series of directives they must complete, including completing their training, the letter says.
In the letter to Gaulke, Smerz describes Gaulke’s career with the Fire Department as a “checkered tenure” in which written warnings will no longer suffice. The chief warns Gaulke that any future misconduct will likely result in more severe discipline and possible termination.
Gaulke was suspended in 2001 and received a letter of reprimand in 2002 for posting in the department a statement that read, “Divide and conquer it’s time to open your eyes to the truth.” In 2005, he was suspended and demoted from lieutenant to heavy equipment operator.