Greenfield investigation into police chief, 67 misconduct allegations
GREENFIELD, Wis. - A 722-page Greenfield investigative report into suspended Police Chief Jay Johnson reveals 67 allegations of misconduct, according to records FOX6 News obtained Thursday.
Mayor wants chief fired
The backstory:
Earlier this month, Mayor Michael Neitzke filed a "Statement of Charges" seeking to have Johnson fired after a city investigation found "significant, highly concerning actions and patterns of behavior." Johnson was placed on paid administrative leave in April 2025.
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What's next:
Greenfield's Police and Fire Commission will determine whether to fire Johnson. If the commission does not dismiss the mayor's charges, the chief has asked for 120 days for discovery because he has been on leave for nearly 17 months with no access to records or evidence to prepare his defense. Johnson, 59, also said the mayor pressured him to retire due to his age prior to the investigation.
Greenfield mayor requests Police Chief Jay Johnson's removal
Greenfield's mayor has filed paperwork seeking to have Police Chief Jay Johnson fired after a city investigation found "highly concerning actions."
Investigative report
Dig deeper:
Some of the allegations date back to 2019. Investigators said Johnson installed a department-owned utility pole surveillance camera outside his home related to his divorce. The report also revealed Johnson pressured newly promoted staff to take shots of hard liquor while on duty.
The report goes on to say when Johnson was sworn in as chief, he allegedly accessed his own personnel file and removed disciplinary records. Investigators also allege Johnson misused city credit cards for personal expenses, and when he was placed on leave, wiped out all the data from his city-issued cellphone.
Johnson's response
What they're saying:
FOX6 News talked with Johnson's attorney Thursday, who said the city's charges are meritless and denied the charges. In a response to the mayor, Johnson requested the charges be dismissed, saying Neitzke did not establish "just cause," meaning an employer must establish a fair, legally valid and well-documented reason to fire an employee.
Criminal case
In court:
The Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office charged Johnson months after he went on administrative leave, accusing him of directing department staff to install a department-owned-and-managed surveillance system – usually used in criminal investigations – at his home in Wind Lake. Prosecutors also said Johnson deleted data from his city-issued cellphone at around the time he met with city officials who offered him an off-ramp to retire, as a part of the investigation into his use of department equipment.
Prosecutors filed additional charges this February, accusing Johnson or some other actor of intentionally and remotely wiping his cellphone, which was confiscated from him during a November court appearance.
Court records show Johnson has pleaded not guilty to all charges filed against him.
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Christina Van Zelst and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from an open records request, the Greenfield investigative report, and Police Chief Jay Johnson's attorney.