On behalf of the men and women of the Wauwatosa Police Department, welcome to our website and thank you for taking the time to learn about our organization.  I am honored to have the privilege of serving the community as your Chief of Police.  My hope is that these pages provide useful and interesting information about the police department, city safety, crime prevention and statistics, and the opportunities for partnership with the department.

The dedicated professionals of the Wauwatosa PD serve a population of over 48,000 residents.  Our staff includes 91 sworn police officers, 33 civilian staff members and a cadre of dedicated volunteers who share their own time in the capacity of reserve police officers.  The members of this department continually strive to provide an environment where all those who live, work and recreate can do so safely.  Our efforts are greatly enhanced when members of our community take an active role in personal safety and crime prevention; public safety is a shared responsibility.

It is an exciting time for the department’s future and I am proud to announce our new Mission and Vision statements. The mission statement provides a point of common ground of why we are here and what we are here to do. The vision statement grounds us as an organization and defines how we are going to achieve our mission.  These statements will help guide the continued development of our organizational culture and public safety strategy.

Mission: Dedicated service and protection for all.

Vision: To foster a safe and secure community through collaboration, trust, and exceptional police service.

Our policing philosophy balances a foundation of traditional policing concepts with innovative and balanced strategies.  We work to collaborate with community members, city departments and our partners in the law enforcement, mental health, and victim service organizations to address community problems and ensure the safety and well-being of our citizens and visitors.  The Wauwatosa Police Department will continually strive to provide excellent customer service, improve public relations and increase public confidence through communication and collaborative efforts.

Thank you for taking the time to visit our department’s page; check out our social media pages as well. I hope that your time spent will leave you with a better understanding of who we are and who we want to be.  I encourage you to contact us should you have any questions or suggestions. 

Sincerely,

James MacGillis

Chief of Police