Changes at state DOJ

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The recent restructuring of the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s criminal investigation unit was not prompted by a handful of demotions or resignations throughout 2008, according to DCI Administrator Mike Myszewski.

Rather, the consolidation of three bureaus into one was done to streamline efficiency and provide more direct contact with local police officials, Myszewski said. The public integrity, narcotics and special assignment bureaus were folded into a new field operations bureau.

The gaming, administrative services and investigative service bureaus will remain. In addition, three supervisor positions, one bureau director and two special agents in charge were shifted to investigator positions.

“We had a lot of bosses,” said Myszewski, who noted that nobody in the department was fired or is currently laid-off.

Myszewski took over the administrator’s position last March after Jim Warren resigned from the job in January 2008.

Demotions of public integrity bureau director Joell Schigur and state fire marshal and homicide director Carolyn Kelly last May affected the restructuring, but were not the cause or motivating factor for the changes, said Myszewski.

Schigur’s job remained vacant after her demotion, and is one of the three converted to an investigator position.

In December, special agent in charge Tina R. Virgil was promoted to the position previously held by Kelly, who is set to retire in June, although Myszewski said the responsibilities of the job are different due to the restructuring.

David L. Spakowicz was also promoted to director of Field Operations in December, which left a second special agent in charge position vacant; that will be converted to an investigator position.

Warren and Kelly could not be reached for comment and Schigur declined to talk about the reorganization, but all reportedly clashed with Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen.

Myszewski said the reorganization was done in the best interests of DCI and not because of personnel problems.

“What the resignations, promotions and demotions gave us were the vacancies that made the process easier,” Myszewski said. “Had all the same people been there, we still would have taken a look at how division could operate in a more efficient manner.”

Myszewski said cost savings will be minimal at the outset, but ultimately time and money spent on travel should decrease given that agents are directly under the supervision of their division supervisor, instead of the central office in Madison.

DCI has field offices in Milwaukee, Madison, Eau Claire, Superior, Wausau, and Appleton.
“It’s purely an efficiency thing and we want to get more bang for the dollars we’re spending already,” Myszewski said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.