After 30 years on the job, the Kenosha Police Department’s # 2 is hanging up his gun belt. Deputy Chief Tom Hansche announced his retirement officially on October 4, 2023 in a memo to the Chief. “This memo is to inform you that I will officially retire from the Kenosha Police Department on December 31, 2023…I have been blessed with many opportunities and I wish you and the department nothing but the best of success in the years to come.”

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Kenosha Police Chief Patrick Patton praised Hansche at his final police and fire commission meeting for his decades of leadership:

“Deputy Chief Hansche has 34 years of dedicated service to his country and community.   He has been a leader on the Kenosha Police Department since I was hired and he has been a mentor to me personally over the years.  Throughout his career he has always demonstrated the highest ethical and moral standards that one would expect of a leader.  His unwavering dedication to service, exceptional leadership, and tireless commitment to the City of Kenosha is an example of what all law enforcement officers should embody.  I wish him the best in his well-deserved retirement and I thank him for all he has done for me, especially over the past year.”

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Hansche’s counter-part at the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department had the following to say of Hansche’s retirement:

“He is a man of high character and a true asset to KPD and the community. I wish him well in the next chapter of his life. “

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Kenosha City Administrator and Former Police Chief John Morrissey said the City will miss Hansche, saying:

“During my career at the KPD I had the privilege of working with Tom as a fellow patrol officer and worked many calls together.  I have always found Tom to be a very dedicated individual and due to his military service he was very committed to the chain of command and understood the need for a structured environment, but he also realized the need to provide his opinion and thoughts on changes he thought needed to be made.

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As the Chief I had the honor of promoting Tom to Lieutenant and Captain to provide his leadership.  Tom is an individual who understands the need to have a cooperative relationship versus an adversarial relationship with the officers, but clearly has the ability to direct and discipline officers as needed.  As the Deputy Chief in working with Tom as the City Administrator he understood the need to focus on utilizing resources and to make sure the necessary equipment was available but not to have a “wish list”.  Tom’s insight and dedication will certainly be missed by the KPD.”

Q and A

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Where did you go to school? High School ? College?  
“I“I graduated from Tremper High School in 1988. I obtained a Associates Degree from Gateway in Police Science and went on to Carthage to receive a degree in Criminal Justice.”

What branch of the armed services did you serve in? How many years and what was your role?  “I served four years in the Air Force right out of high school.  I was a Tactical Air Command and Control Specialist (TACP).  A brief description would be that we would deploy with Army units and provide them with Close Air Support (CAS) and would provide final control of the aircraft as they entered the battlefield area.”

What year did you become a police officer? Why did you become a police officer? “I was hired in April of 1994.  I became interested in police work when I was in high school.  I wanted to help those that were getting victimized and wanted to hold people accountable for their criminal offenses.”

What roles did you have with KPD? Which years did you get promoted? “I’ve been very lucky to have had the opportunities that I’ve had at the department.  In addition to being a patrol officer I’ve had the opportunity to be a field training officer, member of the bike patrol unit, Hazardous Device Squad, and Tactical Response Team.  I was promoted to Sergeant in 2005, Lieutenant in 2009,  Captain in 2013, Inspector in 2019, and Deputy Chief in 2021.  During that time I’ve held supervisory roles in both Patrol and the Detective Bureau.”

What did you like most about your career as a police officer?  “I really enjoyed the reality that everyday was different and you just never knew what was going to happen from day to day.”

What did you like least about your career as a police officer?  “I can think of no other career that has to endure the level of criticism by people that anoint themselves as experts in policing, although they’ve never actually worked a day as a police officer.”

What changes to the job have you seen throughout your career? “The biggest change has been the influx of technology but, in my opinion,  the career is always in a state of change due to changes in laws, equipment, technology, and public expectations.”

What did you like most about your career as a police administrator?  “The most rewarding part about working in administration is watching the career progression of officers that you may have trained or supervised when their career first started.   I also like knowing that perhaps some new equipment or technology that we were able to purchase as an administration is making the officer’s job a little bit easier.”

What details about your family do you wish to share? Wife? Children’s ages? “I am married and my wife and I have three sons (ages 9, 14, and 16).”

What are your non-police hobbies and interests? “I really enjoy hiking in the mountains out West and also workout and run as much as I can.”

If a son/daughter, nephew/niece or other young loved one suggested he/she wanted to be a police officer, would you suggest it? Why or why not?  “I would tell anyone that is interested in being a police officer if you’re the type of person that needs their job to have a sense of purpose, this may be the job for you.  I would also advise them that there are many different levels (federal, state, and local) of policing and to explore all of them before you commit to one of them.”

What advice do you leave for patrol officers? “Never let your ego or emotions make decisions for you.”

What advice do you leave for other police administrators including the Chief? “Never let your ego or emotions make decisions for you.  Enjoy the last few years of your career….it’ll be over before you know it.”

What do you hope to do more of after retirement? “Spend more time with my wife and make sure that our sons are following a good path in their lives.”

What do you hope to do less of after retirement? “Less meetings!”

Will you move somewhere warm or stay nearby Kenosha? “We have no immediate plans to move but definitely open to other parts of the country.”

What else do you want Kenosha to know about you? “It’s been an honor to serve this community.”