Expired and suspended vehicle registration

At approximately 12:09 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 26, a university police officer initiated a traffic stop for a vehicle with expired registration. 

The officer was parked in the small Phillips Lot when a Ford Taurus with expired tags drove past on Roosevelt Avenue. 

Fifteen minutes prior, the officer noticed the vehicle in the large Phillips Lot and checked its records. The vehicle’s registration had expired in December 2023, and it was suspended due to a parking ticket as well.

The officer began following the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop, pulling to the right side of South Farwell Avenue. After the officer had explained the reason for the stop, the driver said he was aware his registration had expired but did not know it was suspended. 

The officer issued the driver a Wisconsin Uniform Traffic Citation for operating a vehicle after its suspension and ended contact. 

Trunk open in Olson Lot

At around 2:53 p.m. on Jan. 26, a university police officer noticed a vehicle in Olson Lot with its trunk open. 

The officer was conducting a random patrol when he saw the vehicle. He looked inside the trunk but did not find anything unusual in the area. He closed the trunk and checked the vehicle for damage or suspicious items, but he found nothing abnormal.

The officer performed a registration check for the vehicle and discovered it was registered and not stolen. It was registered under the same name as an identification badge in the trunk. 

After clearing the scene, the officer contacted the vehicle’s owner and informed them about the incident. He told them to call the police department if they noticed anything missing. 

Activities under the Water Street Bridge

At approximately 10:40 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 29, an officer encountered two individuals throwing rocks under the Water Street Bridge. 

The officer was conducting foot patrol on the Chippewa River Trail when she heard voices along the riverbank. As she neared the river, she saw two people with flashlights under the bridge, a place often vandalized with graffiti. She requested that a second officer be dispatched to the area and continued walking toward the individuals. 

As the officer approached, the two people began to run north along the riverbank. The officer stopped to inspect a pillar under the bridge and found it marked with red and white graffiti. 

Shortly after, the two individuals returned to the scene. The officer introduced herself and asked what they were doing. They explained they were throwing rocks into the river and began running away from her because they did not realize she was a police officer. 

The officer patted them down but did not find any spray paint. After checking their records and finding no warrants, she told them they were free to go. 

A short time later, the officer checked the area for evidence of graffiti but found none.  

Svendsen can be reached at [email protected].