Documents Indicate Marshfield Police Chief Had a Bad Reputation With Women

Tuesday, January 12th, 2021 -- 9:00 PM

(Story by Karen Madden of the Marshfield News Herald) When two special agents investigated allegations made against Police Chief Rick Gramza in July, they found he had a reputation for making women and girls uneasy long before he was charged with the sexual assault of a co-worker. 

According to Karen Madden of the Marshfield News Herald, the Marshfield Police and Fire Commission asked the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation to investigate Gramza after two city officers complained the chief was inappropriate with female students when he was a school resource officer.

The investigation didn't find criminal behavior connected to the students but recommended a separate investigation, which eventually led to a special prosecutor charging Gramza in November with misconduct in office.

Multiple women in Marshfield voiced feelings of uneasiness around Gramza, according to the report written by the two state agents and signed Aug. 4. The Marshfield News-Herald obtained the document from the state Department of Justice through a public records request.

Women from the Personal Development Center, United Way and Wood County Department of Human Services told investigators they try to not be alone with the police chief, according to the report.

"Although these statements didn't rise to formal complaints, we believe it is noteworthy that this is the reputation of the chief of police among female professionals in our community," the report stated. "We strongly believe an impartial investigation needs to be completed by a trained investigator who has experience in the area of internal investigations."

Gramza, who has served as chief since May 2014, took a voluntary paid administrative leave in July while the state investigated allegations that centered on his behavior when he was a school resource officer in the middle and high schools from 2004 to 2007.

He returned to work on July 23 after the special agents cleared him of any criminal wrongdoing.  But he took another voluntary paid administrative leave in August after the state report was filed.

At that time, the city asked the Eau Claire Police Department to complete a second investigation after the state declined. The Eau Claire police investigation led to charges.

The report from the state's initial investigation lists three women as "reported victims" of Gramza. One woman described what she thought was unprofessional behavior but said she didn't believe anything Gramza did was criminal.

Another woman said she received a text message from Gramza when she was a student and he was a school resource officer that she thought was "creepy and weird," but there was nothing illegal.

The third woman said she had no comment and did not want to provide information.  The agents spoke with five "reported witnesses" during the investigation. Three of them said they had no comments or no information, according to the report.

The other two talked about Gramza's text messages to students.  The report suggested city officials hire someone experienced in investigations, outside the Marshfield Human Resources Department, to complete a review that the public would trust.

An Eau Claire Police Department investigator began the separate investigation in August and talked to Gramza and members of the Marshfield Police Department.  On Nov. 6, a special prosecutor filed charges against Gramza related to the second investigation.

Gramza faces three felony counts of misconduct in office and misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree sexual assault and disorderly conduct.  According to the criminal complaint, a Police Department employee reported Gramza sexually assaulted her in his office.

She told an Eau Claire police investigator the assaults happened repeatedly during the past five years, but she was afraid to report them.  Another department employee told investigators he saw Gramza behave in a "flirtatious manner" with women, according to the complaint.

He said Gramza acted in a way that would not be appropriate for a professional.  During an interview with the Eau Claire investigator, Gramza said he had a consensual sexual relationship with the woman in the past but most recently they had only kissed, according to the complaint.

Gramza's next appearance on the criminal charges is scheduled for Wednesday.  The Marshfield Fire and Police Commission is expected to meet in closed session Wednesday to discuss a complaint against Gramza that the City Council directed City Administrator Steve Barg to file.

The complaint requests the commission fire Gramza's employment.  Gramza could not be reached for comment.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.