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Greenfield Police Chief Jay Johnson Charged With Felony Misconduct Over Use of City Camera at Home

Prosecutors say he installed a department pole camera at his Wind Lake residence despite a legal warning to stop.

Overview

  • Court documents state the city attorney told Johnson the camera use was not legally allowed, yet he had it installed at his Racine County home citing unsubstantiated safety concerns tied to a divorce.
  • Investigators say he directed subordinates to keep the setup low-key and change the password to restrict access, with the camera operating from late December 2024 until its removal in May.
  • Greenfield Human Resources contacted the Wisconsin DOJ Division of Criminal Investigation in July, culminating in the misconduct-in-office charge filed on November 4.
  • Johnson has been on paid administrative leave since late April after a confrontation in which he denied wrongdoing and was offered the option to retire with a full pension.
  • The complaint details alleged threatening calls and social media posts targeting Acting Chief Eric Lindstrom; no charges on those incidents are listed, and Johnson’s initial court appearance is set for November 10 with a maximum exposure of about three and a half years if convicted.