Former Kenosha Police Officer and Sheriff’s Deputy Suing Kenosha County Eye Over Restraining Order Coverage Is Slapped With Another Restraining Order

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Former Kenosha Police Officer and Deputy Sheriff Michael Rizzo

KENOSHA COUNTY, Wis. — A former Kenosha Police Department officer and former Kenosha County Sheriff’s deputy who is suing Kenosha County Eye over how his restraining-order history and misconduct in both the Kenosha Police Department and the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office were reported has now been placed under a new order of protection in Arizona, according to Maricopa County court records.

A judge in Maricopa County signed the new order on Dec. 10, 2025, after Rizzo’s former fiancée filed a sworn petition alleging escalating retaliatory behavior. Court records show Rizzo was served with the order at his home in Massachusetts on Friday, Dec. 12.

Court records show the petitioner originally obtained an order of protection against Rizzo in April 2023 while he was employed by the Phoenix Police Department. According to her sworn petition, that order remained in effect for approximately 15 months. The order was later dismissed in July 2025 after she could not attend a scheduled hearing because she was out of state for a previously planned matter, and the court denied her requests to reschedule.

In her original 2023 petition, the protected party alleged a pattern of controlling, threatening, and obsessive behavior following the end of the relationship. She alleged that Rizzo repeatedly contacted her after being told to stop and engaged in conduct that caused her to fear for her safety. The petition further alleged that Rizzo threatened to kill himself, telling her he would “blow his brains out,” which she said was part of a broader pattern of emotional coercion and escalation. A court found the allegations sufficient to issue an order of protection.

In the new sworn filing supporting the second order of protection, the petitioner alleged that during the period the original order was active, Rizzo violated it twice, citing two Phoenix Police incidents. She stated Rizzo was criminally charged and pled guilty to interfering with judicial procedure, disobeying order, in connection with the protection order. Court records reflect the case was later dismissed following completion of a probation or diversion program. Rizzo has since petitioned the court to seal that record, with a hearing scheduled for Thursday.

The newly issued Dec. 10 order alleges that although Rizzo has engaged in retaliatory conduct intended to harm her professionally and personally. According to the petition, she alleges an anonymous complaint — which she believes was submitted by Rizzo — was sent to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office accusing her of lying under oath and obtaining the earlier order of protection in bad faith. She stated those allegations were investigated through internal processes and found to be unfounded.

The petition further alleges she has received repeated anonymous emails sent to high-level officials and legal advisors, containing sensitive information and causing ongoing disruption and distress. She reported the matter to Phoenix Police Department, where it is now the subject of an open criminal harassment investigation with an assigned case number. In her sworn filing, the petitioner wrote that she has “grave concerns” for her safety, citing what she described as escalating and obsessive behavior and fear of retaliation.

The Arizona filing also references two previously published Kenosha County Eye articles that examined Rizzo’s departures from law enforcement, internal investigations, and restraining-order history. In November, Kenosha County Eye reported that Rizzo had hired an attorney and later filed a lawsuit seeking to force changes to that reporting. The lawsuit does not seek damages but asks a court to effectively rewrite portions of the articles he disputes.

Those Arizona court records add a layer of irony to the pending lawsuit. Rizzo is suing Kenosha County Eye over reporting that he had been subject to a restraining order — including one dismissed on procedural grounds — while a court has since issued a new order of protection based on sworn allegations of continued misconduct.

Local reporting also documented Rizzo’s separation from the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office. Records show he resigned in lieu of termination following an internal investigation that found he violated an order of protection by contacting the protected party. Internal affairs records further show investigators concluded that Rizzo misled investigators during the investigation. Kenosha County Eye published the internal affairs records and related court filings, redacting only the protected party’s name and personal identifiers.

After resigning, Rizzo quietly asked the Sheriff’s Office to change the “resignation in lieu of termination” designation — a designation that effectively bars him from working as a police officer. According to emails obtained through a public records request, Chief Deputy Justin Miller immediately rejected that request.

Kenosha County Eye has also been told that Rizzo sought employment with the a school district to work as a security officer or interventionist but was not hired after a background check.

In response to a request for comment about the newly issued Arizona restraining order and the allegations of anonymous emails, Rizzo told Kenosha County Eye that he knows the identity of the person who sent the emails but denied that he was responsible for sending them.

On Wednesday, Rizzo told Kenosha County Eye he would dismiss his lawsuit if all related articles were removed. Kenosha County Eye declined.

“My integrity is not for sale,” said Kevin Mathewson, founder of Kenosha County Eye. “I’m going to seek sanctions and have him pay my legal fees because he knows this is a frivolous lawsuit filed in bad faith, knowing everything I reported was true.”

Kenosha County Eye has served Rizzo with a formal safe-harbor notice under Wisconsin law and has stated it will pursue sanctions if the lawsuit is not dismissed, asserting that its reporting is based on public records and accurately reflects court and law-enforcement documents.

As court proceedings continue in both Arizona and Wisconsin, the dispute now centers on a paradox: a former officer attempting to litigate away reporting about restraining orders, while new court filings show another restraining order has been entered against him.

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26 Responses

      1. And you have no positive traits at all. Your TDS is so strong that you can take the way Trump has been treated and pretend that’s the way he treats others.

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  1. Does this lady have a golden pussy? Holy shit, move on, you are embarrassing your brother Matt (the clown of St. Joes). I am so tired of the Rizzo name.

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  2. Great Law Enforcement material. Rizzo will eventually find long term employment in a Blue stronghold district.

      1. Hopefully he win his lawsuit, & Kevin pays his own fee’s he’s actually the bully in this situation. I’ll probably be blocked after this comment I’m sure. No like a difference of opinion. That’s why you all only see comments where everyone is on Kevin’s side or his enemy. First find out why Kevin is so angry! Knowing he wasn’t born or raised in the town he loves to sue ????

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        1. Bully for publishing open records and keeping the community informed about the scum of Kenosha? It called holding people accountable. I for one would think twice before foolishly making a mistake that would have me published on KCE. For decades individuals in Kenosha, predominantly having last names end in a vowel abused their powers. Not so arrogant anymore, are you? This is nothing more than a large slice of humble pie. Eat up!

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        2. Yes, you do have your opinion just as the flat earthers and the spaceship behind the comment people had their opinion. As for Kevin being a bully, more like a bulldog, when he gets on to something that needs to be shook like a rag doll.

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  3. This man is not sick. He is disturbed and believes that that badge on his chest makes him above the law! A man like him will end up killing someone.

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    1. I saw some of his TikTok videos while on duty for the KPD. Absolutely unbelievable they will give an individual like this a badge and a gun. Thankfully he is no longer LE. We might see him as a Walmart loss prevention officer. But even Walmart does background checks and google searches, so time to find a new career path, Mike!

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  4. Fortunately, Maricopa County AZ…and AZ law in general, is much stricter than WI, and particularly, Kenosha. But the irony of this drama showcase’s situation is funny.

  5. Wow I am really wondering what is really in his background? If they hired me and they won’t hire him must be something horrific.

  6. Guess I’m confused.

    You guys are annoyed by his TikToks during the riots (which apparently were about the loser protesters)….the exact same type of people this site has put down from day 1.

    You can’t change sides suddenly.

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    1

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