Pile of police reports never filed, now one officer is in trouble

BUTLER (WITI) -- There is new controversy surrounding the embattled Butler Police Department. This, after an unopened box revealed nearly 150 messed up police reports -- some of them never filed. Some witness statements were never included with the criminal reports. FOX6 News is learning one Butler police officer has been suspended -- and another has been fired for accusations in a separate case.

The Butler Police Department is still reeling from an investigation dubbed "porn in the morn" after officers admitted to sharing pornography at work.

Now, we're learning of new discipline for two Butler police officers.

Butler Village Administrator Kayla Chadwick tells FOX6 News Officer Chad Rahn is facing suspension, after village officials found a pile of police reports that were never filed.

"It was incomplete reports. It was reports not filed, or report numbers not taken, witness statements not partnered with reports, and miscataloged evidence. We take it very seriously," Chadwick said.

Village officials say the files were found in a storage locker the Butler Police Department used during a 2010 Village Hall renovation.

Inside a box village officials says belonged to Rahn, officials found 11 unfinished investigations, 22 instances of improperly inventoried evidence and 21 cases of witness statements misplaced.

The files, discovered last year, were for cases between 2009 and 2011.

The Village of Butler's new police chief has suspended Rahn for 20 days without pay.

And this is not the first time Rahn has been in trouble.

"Officer Rahn, his thing would be exposing his genitals to people," Butler Police Officer Joel Fus told investigators.

Rahn is among the officers suspended for behavior unveiled through a Waukesha County Sheriff's Department investigation.

Dubbed "porn in the morn," the investigation determined the department was permeated with racism and was run like a frat house.

Butler residents say the latest news is disappointing to hear.

"We've had enough of this stuff going on in Butler. We just want to be done with it," one resident said.

However, some stand by keeping the department in the village.

"I want our police department here. If we lose them, we lose our small community feel," another resident said.

Officer Rahn's union responded to FOX6's story Tuesday night -- saying the officer has filed a grievance, challenging the length of his punishment.

The union is also blasting the village of talking with FOX6 News -- saying the officer will not be able to have a fair and unprejudiced hearing in the days to come.

Also revealed on Tuesday -- the Butler Police Department is moving forward in the process of terminating Butler Police Lt. Brian Pergande.

Pergande faces a felony charge of misconduct in office in a separate case.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the case against Pergande.

It is interesting to note -- officers Rahn and Pergande have filed a federal lawsuit against the Village of Butler that paints both as whistleblowers – men trying to shine a light on egregious behavior and unknowingly, that light was shined back on them.