Mayor’s Column January 28th, 2023
Rohn Bishop, Mayor of Waupun
Hello Waupun!
Monday marks a solemn anniversary in our city’s history, and I want to make sure we as a community don’t miss it. Monday will be the 40th anniversary of the prison riot at Waupun State Prison in 1983. 15 people were taken hostage, 11 civilians and four guards. While no one was injured, the emotional scars lived on long afterwards.
This anniversary reminds us that working in corrections can be a dangerous profession, and while many security improvements have been made over the decades, and the prison has remained relatively quiet in recent years, we don’t want to ever become complacent.
When we talk about supporting public safety, we think about police officers, firefighters, and EMT’s, but it’s equally important to think about correctional officers and the prison’s support staff. These people have the responsibility to house inmates, and keep the bad guys off our streets.
This anniversary is an occasion to reflect on the difficult work correctional officers have, and to thank them for their service in the effort of keeping our community safe.
As Mayor, I attend quarterly meetings with corrections leadership, our elected state representatives, local police, first responders, and local citizens at the conference center at Dodge Correctional . These meetings help keep the state, the prisons, and the community all on the same page. One issue we spent a lot of time discussing at this past meeting was the staffing shortages that continue at the Department of Corrections.
DOC would like people to know that there are currently many job openings. With a starting wage of $31 per hour, plus state benefits, the Department of Corrections might just have the job you’re looking for.
With these ongoing staffing issues, I would like to thank our State Representative Michael Schraa for his ongoing efforts to address this problem, and for his effort to push through a $7.00 per hour raise for our correctional employees in the upcoming state budget!
As Mayor, it’s my honor to thank the brave men and women who keep these institutions operating, and help keep us safe! Waupun has long played an important role in keeping Wisconsin safe, and we have a proud history of being “Wisconsin’s Prison City!”
Thank you and God Bless,
Mayor Rohn
