The Manitowoc Police Department’s Assistant Police Chief is reflecting on his career in law enforcement, with his retirement happening today (June 6th).
It’s the last day for Jason Freiboth, who spent 31 years working in public service, 28 of them in his hometown.
He explains to SeehaferNews.com that he stumbled into the career because his first year at UW-Oshkosh studying business wasn’t working out.
He started taking some classes in criminal justice and fell in love with it.
After graduation, he worked at the Dodge County Jail for three years but then found his way into policing at the Beaver Dam Police Department.
He returned to Manitowoc in 1997 and started as a second-shift patrol officer.
There, he started to find a passion for patrol work.
“I love putting on the uniform and driving around in the squad car,” he explained. “I enjoyed doing traffic enforcement, investigating traffic accidents, helping people out. It was just a really a neat experience.”
After working for eight years in the patrol he eventually moved up the ranks from sergeant, lieutenant, and captain.
He would then assume the role of deputy chief and then his current role of assistant police chief.
While there, he worked on several projects to help improve the department, including the creation of a run/walk and the facility dog program which allowed the department to purchase Molly, the department therapy dog.
Another program he’s proud to have helped in was the department’s intern program, which allows college students to come work for the department as they go to college.
“The get a chance to work here for six months and they get to handle parking complaints and animal complaints,” he noted. “And then they assist our patrol officers and our community service workers with the day-to-day operations.”
Freiboth calls it an addition to starting their career, and noted, “Probably 70% of the people that worked as an intern here eventually went on to become a police officer here at the City of Manitowoc or another department in northeast Wisconsin.”
The assistant police chief says one thing he will miss at the department is the people he’s worked with.
“The people that I got to interact with while handling calls,” he exclaimed. “But I’ll truly miss the people that I get to work with on a regular basis.”
He also wishes he got to see a future K9 Memorial placed at the Public Safety Building before he leaves.
Captain John Musial will take over for Freiboth once his day is done.
Molly, the therapy dog, will be going with Freiboth as well.
