Welcome back everyone to Midday magazine for this August 7th, 2024 your host James
here and we're not only talking with our friend Sean Becker from Wood County
Sheriff's Department but we have our friends from Wisconsin Rapids Community
Media in as well. Sean appreciate the time as always. If you don't mind I know we
got some things to talk about coming up but I want to rewind for a second. Here
in at Winterfield with our rafters last night they wrapped up National Night Out
and not just here of course in town but around the whole country. National Night Out
took place. We're able to attend the event. Do you hear anything about how it
went? I heard good things myself. About me. It's always about you. Certainly. Certainly.
It was about you. But did you hear it? Sorry. Sorry. No, no. I did go. I did go and it
was really well attended. You know I got to you know give a huge shout out to
Wisconsin Rapids Police Department especially detect with Sergeant Eric Daven
who spearheaded you know organizing the event. So inviting you know all first
responders. It's really the big goal of National Night Out is just you know
the community get the opportunity just to hang out with not just law enforcement
officers but you know first responders and Eric did just a phenomenal job
organized it. We had our team there. Lieutenant Nate Dean who's been really
spearheaded a lot of our PR events. I've been doing a phenomenal job with that
with you know our PR stuff that we do in the parks over the summer. That was Nate's
idea and then he also has going to have a big part of the fair coming up in
Marshfield. But anyway to last night it was awesome. I didn't know what to expect
with them move over to the you know the rafters but I'll tell you what you know
James Piggy Backing Matt event with a rafters game and having awesome other was
was great for everybody you know a huge shout out to the rafters organization. I
know that the owners now Vincent Joel Fonte is going back down memory lane. I
used to work for them a long time ago. Yeah my my first job as a teenager I just
turned 16 my dad says you get a job like oh okay I got a job and he knew the
owner of furniture implying smart Vince Fonte senior I just opened the store
and Steven's point and they connected somewhere probably you know for dinner
or whatever and so my dad drove me over there and took a look at me you're
gonna work here I'm like okay I'm gonna work here then but it led to just a
just an awesome opportunity to get those those as a first job those work ethics
what you learn and you carry on I was telling Vince junior that last night
that's something I never forgot because I worked there for almost eight years
you know also a big shout out to you know the rafters organization the owner is
to the partner with this event because I think it served very well and one
thing I didn't know I was gonna be doing this but I got to throw out one of the
people with the first pitch yeah so I won hopped it oh yeah I don't think it's
on social media so you know if I mentioned it anyway but I made it to the
catcher but it was just a great event that again Eric put together lots of
people we had not only Nate there but Susanna with Lola always a huge hit
you know have the therapy dog anywhere and Susanna has done just a
phenomenal job making sure you know making herself available for you know
public events like this because it really you know the law enforcement dogs are
different you know than a therapy dog they're working dogs or therapy dogs
completely you know the opposite the trains really comes down to get certified
a lot of obedience and then we're going through that with Lola and she's been
doing great too and oh we're lucky but again Eric did a great job chief
askins was there we had lots of representation from law enforcement and just
some really good interactions with kids yeah you know and one thing that I always
love to get out is our armored vehicle because people don't normally see
that up be honest the biggest questions I got about our department was the
armored vehicle and how we you know how we got that you know through the
government and how much of an asset that is and how often is it used I was
probably the question I got because you see this like tank-looking vehicle it's
like how often does that get out there and I'm like not very often which is a
great thing but you know we train with it once a month PR events are a must
whether it's a parade or something like that so people can see it they can go
inside it and to act channel nine came down and they departed their broadcast
from inside nice vehicle up in the turret I thought that was that was really
cool you know and it gives people opportunity to see it it does get used
unfortunately and you know we talked about that last night a week ago last
Friday porch county had an incident where they had a standoff over in the Amherst
area and Sheriff Lucas called out and requested mutual aid because they had
an individual it's all started out and saw a county on a traffic stop where
this person got out and shot at the deputy thankfully I didn't hurt him but
then took off and somebody in Amherst decided to pick him up in a clone
area and that's one thing with technology once you're wanted it's getting
better and better where we're gonna find you especially the situation like
that and that person had intended on killing a law enforcement officer and
then he held up at this residence in the Amherst area and then shot at the
officers again and as that incident continued with their you know SWAT teams
from none of their department but Stevens Point and Polver Marathon County as
the incident continued you know that's where I have to highlight these strong
working relationships one phone call all right our team's going so our team
went on held a perimeter for that for a time frame another SWAT team came in
and then they made entry to the house and the person had taken their own life
but just uh fortunately it doesn't happen very often where we're deploying the
armed vehicle but I still get it is probably one of the biggest insurance
policies you have to to keep your people safe you break glass in case of
need it you know you want you want the axe behind the glass if you need it you
hope you never do you hope that that glass is that way for the all for all a
time but it's important to have those things and thank you for breaking down
that incident for us I appreciate that so much and I appreciate obviously
everybody's worked involved in that and a communication involved in that we've
talked about how vital that is not just for our states but going forward all
states and the communication between local police departments and sharing of
information it's so it's not only interesting but vital going forward I do
want to two notes I do want to send a shout out to Gamber Johnson and what they
did I had to get the sheet out I want to make sure to get it on my nose too I
got to talk to the CEO last night and no huge thank you you know to them they
might climb a good friend of mine works for them he's on our wood County rescue
got an opportunity hang out with him last night as well but yeah yeah they
sponsored the event and that was those awesome and I also wanted to note too and
you and I have talked about this almost since our first conversation about how
great these events are not only for building the bridge between community and
law enforcement and making that stronger and stronger the idea that like with
touch-a-truck event and kids coming across these things you never know
might spark in their mind and maybe a future law enforcement agent or or
something you know other emergency services or any of those things but
something that I kind of forget sometimes until an event like this happens and
you and I get talking and I see your face when you're talking about some of
these things I forget too often and I'm saying this not just to myself but to
the community how much this means to you guys yeah there are not a lot of light
moments I would imagine in this position not a lot of moments that you can
look forward to in this position so I'm happy to hear for you for that for
the Stevens Point to Police Department for other emergency for other services
that were down there and other events like this that you guys get that
interaction too that you guys get these I hate to say light moments for lack of a
better way to put it it's pretty cool too no it was as I look at as a recruiting
opportunity every time I gave out stickers and pins and I don't care
whole they were like hey maybe down the road you want to be a police officer or
deputy sheriff so it's fun no you're right these kind of community events
especially when you can partner with so many other stakeholders not only
just the rafters but other you know local vendors that come in and support not
just law enforcement but first responders it was really nice to see the food
trucks there you know again Gamber Johnson coming in and you know sponsor most of
the event that's used the rafters the players coming out that is that is so
cool you know I you know we talk about sports cars and whatnot and we I was
getting pictures with a few of the players and yeah I stuck in a couple
cards and autographs yeah and that was cool and and the attitudes these these kids
had these young adults you know in their early 20s late teens I mean they they're
really cool yeah and and very appreciative of being part of our community
for just only a few months you know because I asked I I'll give them a little
grief hey how's your host family so good well I'm gonna find out for sure if
you're a baby and they were out and took it really well but it was really cool
you know interacting with them and seeing them getting out with the crowds as
well you know because who knows one of these one of these kids might be at the
big show someday and and here's an opportunity for them to just interact with
people and because you know it without us you know who's gonna watch you right
and how you get paid but it was it was it was a fun event and I'm glad I got
the opportunity to be there and again it was a little nerve-wracking throwing out
a pitch but it was fun my first pitch that I got thrown at the rafters would
still be going if the catcher didn't make me look good and jump as high as he
could to catch that ball if he hadn't that ball would still be flying out
there somewhere you know it really is and I say do I can I go like 10 feet in
front of the mound maybe you know can I underhand it right right like a
soft bar or something but and I used to play softball with Vince Fenty Jr. and
we're kidding about that you know and but no great event I'm glad I got the
opportunity going how it all worked out went to East and and played baseball on
that field on that mound thought I had an advantage going into this I did not
I did not I did not I did it was not he got thousands of people watching it's
different it's a different animal that's a whole different thing totally we're
speaking with Sheriff Sean Becker from the Wood County Sheriff's Department so
you guys have a raffle going on yeah we do I'll put it up just to show it um
second year we're doing this it's outdoorsman raffle that Scott Seger actually
put together we had the idea to do this for a whole month actually the idea kind
of came from our rescue unit because they're doing a calendar raffle that was
was just firearm so we decided hey why don't we try one for our special
spas team equipment is not cheap as we all know that and we figured let's
amp it up a little bit not only have firearms but what about an ATV UTV you know
law and equipment you know things like that you know it's some more expensive
prizes that we could offer people and it took off so last year it sold out
we're in the process of doing it right now each ticket is $40 a piece we will
start the raffle on October 1st so if anybody's interested please give us a
call stop by the Sheriff's Department message us and we'll definitely sell
you ticket we've got several places you know throughout the county there's
Selma Selma too as well and it was fun kind of you know the rescue you know when
they would do their videos and do it they would kind of you know do skits and
stuff like that we weren't as creative but we tried we would try to pick on
each other a little bit when we'd pick a name and stuff like that so yeah
please get out there and support us we really appreciate it like I said it
goes towards our special spas team getting the equipment we just cannot you know
budget for Packers Badgers Brewers and Raffles these are things that Wisconsin
ites love this is a great idea and not only that but it's a fun way for people to
win some cool stuff you guys got some great stuff on there yeah the first
prize is Henry Rifle a 22 caliber but it's personalized to to the to the
raffle and it's also got the new jail on the side of it oh cool oh wow
scripted on it yeah that's works it's really cool this is also a great way to put
back into your community and a fun way to do that too you can know that the
proceeds are going to help our our departments and do some of the great work
that you guys are doing over there yeah no I appreciate the plug if anybody is
interested just let us know see one of the I mean like I said they're out all
over otherwise come the sheriff's firm and we'll sell you a couple hatches for
hounds just a great name a great name for it how did that go awesome because we
won no several months ago 715 throwing company and dropped a drop-time
fabrication sorry it's exact right but they they're their companies based out
of porge county area and I don't know really I haven't really done any
accidentally much at all but they said hey how about some you know in August we
do a you know you square off against a sheriff Lucas you know and we have
a tournament and then you guys stepping at the end and you know winter we'll
get a couple extra prizes and have a little friendly competition you know
friendly you know especially with access right right it's a probably good idea
and Mike and I get along really well we have a friendly competition you know
between the the border and a lot of good conversations but again as as I
mentioned we uh whenever we need help we're always there but yeah so we did
that and so last Saturday at 715 throwing company they have a really nice
setup a nice tavern area and then a whole another part of the building has
the area you can throw axes and I didn't realize how popular it was yeah and like
I said very very nice setup and they got through their tournament they had
many companies donate so many items we had I think there's almost 30 basket
you know raffle baskets you know and the funding was being the money was being
raised for arcane and units so we had you know both of our departments had
some more canines there lol it was there and yeah and then what happened was
the two tournament teams are the individuals that that one in the tournament
would get paired up with Mike and I then we would go head to head and Mike
out of the last two to go and it was pretty close to the end and then I got lucky
I like it was no skill with this at all we got like 10 minutes to a little
introduction out of throw axes and yeah I hit a couple bulls eyes Mike didn't
but they all stuck they didn't the axe didn't fall to the ground date
this stuff so we didn't look to too bad yeah and in the end we prepared we
prevailed and so I got some bragging rights right yes yeah so yeah so it was
it was and we haven't got the final numbers but we had a lot of people you know
just looking at you know the sponsors from both counties yeah you know I can
see this event really really growing as we as we move forward and it was a lot
fun for those that don't know what was the event for our canines both of our
canines we were raising money for us they felt that that was a passion of
theirs and you know a couple big vendors that stepped up for us and yeah I think
that we did really well raise the money for probably what we'll do is put the
money towards our foundation our our case of foundation that does a lot of our
fundraising for us and we were just blessed to have the board that we have
especially you know with you know many of the people that have been there and
new people that have joined on just with the the passion to you know help us
fund our canine units that's pretty much is one number one it's expensive to
have a canine unit but with this community support we're so fortunate that you
know we're really not to put much in a budget it's just the money that
people in the community that give us to make sure that we have a canine unit a
big thank you to everybody involved in the event great work by everyone involved
and appreciate them and not to get us down a side road here we're only like five
minutes left but that is an interview trope of mine asking you a two-hour
question in the last minutes but I am curious you know we were kids I know
there were canine units and we saw canine units we heard about them it feels
like that's a position and a job that has grown quite a bit in recent years
finding more uses for these dogs and and with that being then becoming that
much more vital in our departments yeah no I you know when I started my
career down sock parry smaller police department we didn't have one but by the
time that I left we got one and I just saw even with that you know a smaller
community between sock city and pretty sacked is the the support you know the
money that came in to support this project that was new and we had a really
really awesome officer that later became a police chief Jerry Strons take on
that project and spear at it and now it's it's you know it'll be with that
department forever for us race darks was the first person at recall and my
start here he's still at recall and he went through a couple more dogs before
he retired and then that's just grown with the communities you know now we
have you know including Lola five dogs and those are all funded by people that
donated money through our foundation or directly to the sheriff's department
and that's not exclusive to just the wood county sheriff's department you know
look at you know Wisconsin's rapids police department you know Marshall police
department Nikusa you know I'm very confident to say in Wood County 24-7 there's a
dog working somewhere in Wood County you know whether it's our
department or someone else we've got somebody available to help us out and
then what's really started to grow immensely is the therapy dog and you know
being very lucky to have you know Susanna take that on and then and have a dog
and really work it through our jail and out in the community it's been just a
huge asset now you look at other agencies doing that especially connecting them
to your schools yeah and what a great opportunity to work with kids that you know
maybe they're struggling you know and I talked to a member of the
rafters organization last year last night who wasn't law enforcement in San
Diego and it had some very traumatic situations that really went down
towards you know I'm not going to do this anymore and we've talked about our
mental health and and you know how that affects us as you know first responders
are law enforcement as we move throughout our career and we walk away you know
what he felt saved him is just having a therapy dog you know working through
the trauma that that he experienced and and now you look at a therapy dog
that a law enforcement you can have and when we respond you know to you know
traumatic situations you know having a dog there that just you can hug and pat
and and help calmness that and and I can see that it's going to continue to grow
you know with the other community oriented policing ideas that have been
there forever that's just one of those newer things that has been really
exploding recently with law enforcement got about two minutes left Sean as
anything want to touch on before we let you go wow boy that went fast again
yeah huge shout out to Gamma Johnson for a nationaline out sponsor in the
event the rafters that was awesome one quick thing on the meta center for
mistake technical college over at Stevens Point they had the ribbon cutting
ceremony a couple weeks ago got the opportunity to go that because I'm on the
mistake technical college board which I'm very proud to be part of but while
what a what a phenomenal center that is put together I didn't really
be a new to board I didn't know a lot about it I'm so like I'm gonna go there
and it's hate just crushed it having all the people that donated money to make
that center move forward just you know focusing on the trades and two in
particular draw awesome but steel king industries and furniture appliance are
both very special to me and seeing that they had been very big sponsors one
steel king the reason why you know I'm in central Wisconsin my dad took a job
with steel king industries back in 1980 and move this up to you know central
Wisconsin so my dad worked there for a long time and that was the that's what
brought us here and then furniture appliance where I talked about both big
sponsors to that new facility and just to see their name highlighted you know
and walking through it just kind of brought me to an appreciation of you know
the community support that not only those two companies have but all the
other ones you know it was a very humbling event to be at you know when you
look at the partnerships that you know many you know companies stepped up
yeah it could happen the focus on the trades yeah so very cool I can't wait to
see it myself and shout out to those companies to mid-state and a very kind of
full circle moment for you that's really unique that's really cool yeah always
cool talking with you Sean appreciate you so darn much thanks so much for
being in with us putting up on my questions and and hanging out we're looking
forward to talking again real soon if people do want to reach out to you about
some of the positions that are open or some of those things how can they do
that two ways take a look at human resources on the website they'll show what's
available through the sheriff's farm or give us a call if you have some
specific questions about either corrections or or law enforcement or being a
deputy sheriff gives a call we appreciate you be safe out there say hi to the
rest of the team for us okay absolutely we'll talk more next month and want to
send a big thank you to of course our good friends over at Wisconsin's
Rapids Community Media get to YouTube typing to your search bar Wisconsin
Rapids Community Media subscribe to their page you keep up to date and all the
great things they are doing over there well the more midday magazine coming up
for you on WFHR locally grown radio
