Racine County Sheriffs Office

09/04/2026

SHERIFF SCHMALING ORDERS IMMEDIATE REMOVAL OF FLOCK CAMERAS

Sheriff Christopher Schmaling ordered the immediate removal of all Flock cameras operated by the Racine County Sheriff’s Office after learning that Flock appears to have been collecting and retaining information beyond what the Sheriff’s Office understood or agreed to.

The Sheriff’s Office entered into an agreement with Flock with the understanding that information collected by its cameras would be subject to a 30-day retention period and used for legitimate public-safety and crime-solving purposes. The Sheriff’s Office has since learned that Flock generates a separate data set from information collected by its cameras and markets that dataset to other government and private customers through its “Traffic Analytics” product. Flock has confirmed that this aggregated dataset is retained for up to five years, separate from and in addition to the 30-day retention period the Sheriff's Office understood to apply to all information generated by its cameras for public-safety and crime-solving purposes.

“This is not what we agreed to, and it is not what the public was led to believe,” said Sheriff Christopher Schmaling. “The Sheriff’s Office will not participate in a system that appears to use public safety as a justification for mass surveillance and the collection and monetization of information about innocent people.

If Flock used the public-safety purpose of this technology to build a broader commercial data business without the public’s knowledge, that is a serious breach of trust. We will not tolerate it.”
The Sheriff’s Office has obtained legal counsel and is taking steps to terminate its agreement with Flock.

The Sheriff’s Office will continue to explore the use of Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology through alternative vendors. ALPR technology is a powerful investigative tool, but it must be accompanied by appropriate supervision, accountability, transparency, and clearly defined safeguards.

ALPR technology has assisted Racine County deputies in solving serious crimes, including:
• A homicide investigation: Deputies used ALPR technology to help locate and arrest a homicide suspect who was fleeing the jurisdiction approximately 20 minutes after a shooting. (RASO 26-40145 / RAPD 26-42132)
• A road-rage fi***rm incident: ALPR technology helped investigators identify a driver who pointed a fi***rm at a group of juveniles in the parking lot of their high school while school was in session. (RASO 26-11455)
• A nationwide identity-theft operation: ALPR technology assisted investigators in identifying and dismantling an identity-theft crew operating throughout the United States. (RASO 25-14202)

“We are not abandoning a technology that can help us protect the public,” Sheriff Schmaling said. “We are abandoning a vendor that appears to have violated the trust placed in it. We will continue to use ALPR technology responsibly, with appropriate safeguards and accountability. The technology did not fail the public. Flock failed the public.”

Racine County Executive Ralph Malicki stated, “I completely support Sheriff Schmaling’s decision to end the County’s relationship with Flock and to explore other vendors to provide this important law enforcement technology, which will be closely monitored.”

09/03/2026

SCAM ALERT: Scammers Posing as the Racine County Planning & Zoning Department

A Racine County business recently received a fraudulent email claiming to be from the Racine County Planning and Zoning Department. The email came from “[email protected]” and included a fraudulent attachment.

THIS IS A SCAM!

There are several red flags that exposed the fraudulent email:

• The email address is fake. A legitimate government email address will not end in “.com” or “.[email protected]”.

• No telephone number was provided. The scammers wanted the recipient to communicate only by email. Legitimate government correspondence will generally provide a way to contact the department directly.

• The email contains grammatical errors, including the phrase “do please reply this letter”.

• A Google search will show that Greg Horeth is the Chairman of Racine County’s Economic Development and Land Use Planning Committee, and Tom Rutkowski is no long on the Racine County Board.

• The attached document contains inconsistencies. Although the scammers copied Racine County’s logo and address, portions of the document are missing the watermark found on legitimate county documents. There are also inconsistent margins, unexplained characters, and other formatting errors. Specifically, the scammers wrote “(USD)” and typed an “S” after “$3,000”.

• The information in the document does not make sense, especially sense the email recipient did not previously agree with any of the listed services.

• Racine County would never require a payment to be made solely by wire transfer.

Do not send money, provide personal/financial information, or respond to suspicious emails until you have verified that the communication is legitimate.

When in doubt, contact the Racine County department using a verified telephone number or website – not the contact information provided in the suspicious email. You can also contact the Sheriff’s Office via the non-emergency telephone number: (262) 886-2300.
When something looks suspicious, trust your instincts and verify before you pay!

***********************************************************************

Dear Mr. [Omitted],

I hope this email finds you well.

This message serves as an official reminder regarding the outstanding Application Review & Approval Fee associated with your Conditional Use and Variance Application for the property located at 5355 Northwest Highway.

To proceed with the final approval process, we kindly request that you settle the attached invoice for the application review & approval fee at your earliest convenience. Timely payment of this fee is crucial to ensuring the smooth progression of your permit application through all required review and approval stages, including necessary compliance evaluations.

Importance of the Application Review & Approval Fee:

Your fee payment directly supports a number of critical functions within the commission and benefits the state by ensuring an efficient and thorough review process. Specifically, the fee contributes to:

• Comprehensive Application Review:
o Enables our team to conduct an in-depth evaluation of your proposed project to verify compliance with local zoning, land use, and building regulations.

• Approval Processing:
o Funds the administrative tasks required to verify documentation, coordinate internal reviews, and prepare your application for presentation to the Planning Commission.

• Regulatory Compliance Evaluation:
o Ensures that your project meets all applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, safeguarding public safety and maintaining planning integrity.

• Expert Reviews:
o Supports consultations with planning professionals, legal advisors, and technical experts who rigorously assess the feasibility and impact of your proposal.

• Contract Staff Payments:
o Provides compensation for contracted personnel and consultants who assist in the detailed review and processing of your application.

• Support for State and Local Planning Initiatives:
o Contributes to broader efforts to maintain effective land use policies and promote sustainable development practices across the state, ensuring that projects like yours align with our long-term economic and community development goals.

Next Steps:
1. Reply to this email to request the invoice wire instructions.
2. Settle the issued wire instructions in full to enable the approval process.
3. Return a signed copy of the payment confirmation to this email for verification and inclusion into the commission agenda.
Should you have any questions or need further assistance regarding the payment process, do please reply this email. We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and we look forward to assisting you further.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Best regards,
Tom Rutkowski
Chairman


Racine County Planning and Zoning Department
14200 Washington Avenue Sturtevant, Wisconsin 53177.

09/02/2026

Please consider completing this survey to help our Emergency Management Team prepare for future emergency planning, training, exercises and efforts for Racine County. Link to the survey is in the EM post below.

Thank you!

Help Shape Racine County's Preparedness Priorities!

Racine County Emergency Management is working to identify our community's preparedness priorities for the next several years, and we want to hear from you!

The information collected through this survey will help inform the County's Integrated Preparedness Plan (IPP), which guides future emergency planning, training, exercises, public education, and other preparedness activities. Emergency preparedness isn't just the responsibility of first responders or government agencies—it takes the whole community. If you live or work in Racine County, please consider voicing your thoughts.

You do not need any special knowledge or emergency management experience to complete this survey. There are no right or wrong answers—we simply want to know what preparedness looks like from your perspective.

The survey should take 5-10 minutes to complete, and your feedback will be anonymous. The survey can be found here:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/g/GZPpLupC2v

09/01/2026

🚨 SCAM ALERT — RACINE COUNTY 🚨

The Racine County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a disturbing scam that was reported today—and scammers are now using YOUR children as part of their frightening tactics.

A Racine County resident received a phone call from a blocked number in which the caller falsely claimed to have abducted her daughter, who is a student at a local school. The caller then created a story involving a drug deal gone wrong and pressured the mother to get into her vehicle and drive to a nearby store, where he claimed he would turn her daughter over.

Thankfully, the mother did not fall for the scam. She contacted the school directly and confirmed that her daughter was safe and at school. There was no emergency.

This type of scam is designed to create fear, panic and a sense of urgency so that victims don’t have time to think or verify what they are being told. In similar scams, callers may demand gift cards, money, cryptocurrency or other forms of payment.

Scammers have historically targeted elderly and vulnerable adults, but they are increasingly finding ways to use children and threats involving family members to manipulate their victims.

If you receive a call claiming that your child or loved one has been kidnapped or is in danger:

🔹 Stay calm.
🔹 Do not provide personal or financial information.
🔹 Do not follow the caller’s instructions or get into your vehicle to meet them.
🔹 Hang up and independently contact your child, their school, or another trusted person to verify their safety.
🔹 If you believe there is an actual emergency, call 911.

Remember: Scammers want you to panic. Take a moment, verify the information, and don’t let fear make the decision for you.

Please share this information with your family, friends, and especially your children. Someone you know may receive one of these calls next.

09/01/2026

💙 Honoring Deputy Sheriff Joshua LaForge 💙

The Racine County Sheriff’s Office was honored to be a part of the 2026 End of Watch (EOW) Memorial Golf Outing, hosted by Mascoutin Golf Club in New Berlin, Wisconsin.

This special event brought together law enforcement, family, friends, and members of the community to remember and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to others.

Among those honored was Racine County Deputy Sheriff Joshua LaForge, whose End of Watch was July 4, 2023. Deputy LaForge’s dedication, service, and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Deputy Sheriff Zinnen was honored to present a commemorative plaque to Deputy LaForge’s family on behalf of the Racine County Sheriff’s Office. It was a privilege to stand alongside his loved ones and ensure that his service and sacrifice continue to be remembered.

We are grateful to the organizers of the 2026 EOW Memorial Golf Outing for keeping the memories of our fallen heroes alive and for providing an opportunity for the law enforcement community to come together in their honor.

Gone, but never forgotten.
🇺🇸💙 We Remember. We Honor. We Never Forget.

09/01/2026

🐾🐾 We are incredibly grateful to Midwest Pet Feed for supporting K9 Maxx and K9 Cain by donating all of their food! Their generosity helps keep our four-legged officers fueled and ready to do the important work they do for Racine. Midwest Pet Feed are also huge supporters of the Racine County Sheriff’s Department K9 Unit!

Now it’s our turn to support Midwest Pet Feed! They have been nominated for Best Pet Store in Racine County 2026, and Maxx would love to see them win!

Text 130 to 262-864-7764
Vote every day through September 9th!

Let’s show Midwest Pet Feed how much we appreciate their support of K9 Maxx, K9 Cain and the men and women who serve our community!

Please share if you can!

09/01/2026

🐾🇺🇸 NATIONAL POLICE K9 DAY 🇺🇸🐾

Today, we proudly recognize and honor the incredible K9s of the Racine County Sheriff’s Office and the important role they play in keeping our community safe.

Behind every K9 is a dedicated handler, but these amazing dogs bring something truly special to the job — unmatched loyalty, courage, determination, and an incredible ability to serve when it matters most. From tracking and searching to locating evidence and assisting their fellow deputies, our K9s are an essential part of our law enforcement family.

Today, we celebrate:

🐾 Stella
🐾 Clyde
🐾 Cain
🐾 Maxx
🐾 Gus
🐾 Simba
🐾 Stax
🐾 Buck

These K9s don't just wear a badge — they earn our respect every single day. They work hard, train hard, and give everything they have to protect the people of Racine County.

Please join us in giving a big THANK YOU to our K9s and their handlers for their dedication, sacrifice, and service. ❤️🐕‍🦺

Happy National Police K9 Day! 🇺🇸🐾

09/01/2026

Build a career that makes an impact with the Racine County Sheriff's Office

We are seeking dedicated individuals to join our team as Deputy Sheriffs.

A career with our agency offers opportunities that extend beyond traditional patrol. Deputies can build experience across investigations, water patrol, K9, SWAT, crisis negotiation, major crash reconstruction, federal task forces, and other specialized assignments. We invest in our deputies through extensive training and diverse career paths throughout your career in public safety.

If you’re looking for meaningful work and the opportunity to serve alongside a committed team, we’d like to hear from you.

Learn more and apply using the QR code or link below.

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/racinecountywi?

08/28/2026

DEPUTY EXONERATED OF FALSE ALLEGATIONS: Public Defender Pleads Guilty

Yesterday, Public Defender Cole Covey admitted that he falsely accused an experienced and well-respected deputy of physically abusing a jail inmate when Covey pled guilty to obstructing an officer in Racine County case number 26CM1671. The charge was reduced from a misdemeanor to an ordinance violation. Covey was ordered to pay the maximum $1,000 fine plus costs and to self-report his untruthfulness to the Wisconsin State Bar’s Office of Lawyer Regulation.

The incident that led to Covey’s charge occurred on the morning of March 26, 2026, after Covey and his client, who was an inmate, had court hearings on her two criminal cases. The deputy and his partner allowed Covey additional time to speak with his client in a back hallway before the deputies escorted her back to the Racine County Jail.

When the inmate began wandering down an adjacent hallway away from Covey and toward the judge’s chambers, the deputy intervened and informed Covey and the inmate that their meeting was over. The deputy began directing the inmate down the proper hallway toward an elevator and informed Covey that he wanted to leave. Covey purposefully repositioned himself in the deputy’s path and stated, “I don’t care what you want to do.”

The deputy pushed past Covey and escorted the inmate toward the elevator while Covey followed behind.

Approximately one hour later, Covey sent an email to the deputy’s supervisor falsely alleging that the deputy had shoved the inmate into a wall twice. Covey wrote:

“My client was shackled and braced herself against the shoves so both times she was pushed to the point of striking her face against the wall. This was the most flagrant misconduct I have ever personally observed from a CO.”

Covey further stated that he had reported the incident to his supervisors and wrote:

“They will determine how to proceed forward with this personally observed abuse of an inmate and misconduct committed by [the deputy].”

Covey concluded his letter by offering to provide additional information if needed to “address this disgusting abuse of power” that he claimed to have witnessed.

Covey’s allegations were forwarded to the Sheriff’s Professional Standards Unit which conducted a thorough investigation, including an interview with Covey. Despite being shown the Body Worn Camera video numerous times, Covey stood by his false allegations by stating that was what he “believed” and “thought” happened.

All of Covey’s allegations of abuse and misconduct were proven to be false, as demonstrated by the deputy’s Body-Worn Camera video, witness statements (including the inmate), and lack of physical evidence. Had the allegations been substantiated, the deputy could have faced termination and criminal charges. The deputy also faced the potential for significant damage to his professional reputation, particularly as he was nearing the end of a distinguished thirty-year career in law enforcement.

Sheriff Schmaling stated:

“Mr. Covey made serious and false accusations against a deputy, calling what he claimed to have witnessed the ‘most flagrant misconduct’ he had ever seen and a ‘disgusting abuse of power.’"

"His words were not mistakes, they were intentional false allegations that put a deputy’s thirty-year career and reputation at risk – and could have resulted in a criminal conviction and jail time."

“Mr. Covey has now admitted in court that he was untruthful and guilty of obstructing. I encourage the Officer of Lawyer Regulation to treat this breach in ethics with the seriousness it deserves. If a law enforcement officer would have made these types of false statements, they would be placed on a Brady list and their career would essentially be over.”

“Our deputies are held accountable when they do wrong, but attorney’s and everyone else must also be held accountable if they knowingly make false allegations. I commend this deputy for his professionalism and wish him a long and happy retirement.”

08/26/2026

Today, we’re celebrating some of the four-legged members of the Racine County Sheriff’s Office! 🐕💙

Our K9s are more than just incredible working dogs — they are dedicated partners, loyal companions, and an important part of our Sheriff’s Office family. From tracking and searches to assisting our deputies and keeping our communities safe, these K9s give their all every day. 🐾👮‍♂️

Please join us in giving a BIG shout-out to our amazing K9 team:

🐕 Stax
🐕 Maxx
🐕 Simba
🐕 Clyde
🐕 Cain
🐕 Stella
🐕 Gus
🐕 Buck

We are incredibly proud of each and every one of them and grateful for the dedication of their handlers who work alongside them every day.

Happy National Dog Day to our K9s and all the amazing dogs who make our lives better! 🐾❤️💙

If you would like to make a donation to the Racine County K9 Division, which is COMPLETELY funded by generous donations from our community, please use the link below.

https://racine-county-sheriffs-office-k9-unit-store.square.site/product/k9-donation-racine-county-sheriff-s-office-25/XOMIBRHYRJ2X3DJ34HOJYYP6?cs=true&cst=custom

And thank you Racine Policeman's Ball for the great photo of K9 Buck all dressed up for the Policeman's Ball coming up in October! Visit their page if you'd like to get tickets and attend!