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Police chief will return to California a Wisconsinite

Photo

Photo by Dan Lassiter

Outgoing Janesville Police Chief Neil Mahan

Photo

Photo by Dan Lassiter

Janesville Police Chief Neil Mahan sits in on an afternoon briefing

JANESVILLE — After Janesville Police Chief Neil Mahan arrived in Wisconsin, he accepted an offer to go ice fishing.

It was freezing cold that day on Lake Waubesa near Madison, but Mahan hung in there and even caught a few fish.

"I loved the experience, but I actually felt like a baby out there," he said. "If I took my hands out of my gloves for a second, they were freezing. And nobody else even wore gloves."

The California man never got used to our freezing weather, but he will retire Friday with his Wisconsin stripes.

Mahan arrived an outsider 4 1/2 years ago, yet he earned the police department's respect, improved the way it investigates crimes and soaked in the state's culture along the way.

He has been to the Frozen Tundra. He has seen the sausage race at Miller Park. He has taken trips Up North. And he has savored cheese curds and Friday night fish fries.

"I don't know if people appreciate all those little traditions; they probably do," Mahan, 54, said. "There are a lot of wonderful traditions here in Wisconsin that make it unique."

He and his wife, Cheryl, intend to join their three grown children and three grandchildren in their home state, where Mahan spent most of his law enforcement career in Bakersfield, Calif. He is retiring to be with his family.

"I've missed a lot with the grandkids growing up, but there's still time while they're young," he said. "Our time will be really committed to family. My wife is going to be a part of the daycare system for our newest grandchild."

A strong leader

During a recent afternoon briefing, the chief walked into the room and several officers fell silent. Mahan doesn't always attend routine meetings, but he occasionally pops in.

Mahan grabbed a seat by himself at the end of a table. He asked a pregnant officer whether she could feel the baby moving yet. He then listened intently as the officers discussed recent crimes and passed around mug shots of suspects.

On the way out, he chatted with officers. He asked one for the names of men involved in a recent crime. He wrote the names on a piece of paper.

Mahan wears a suit to work, setting him apart from beat cops. He has a medium build, graying hair, sly smile and authoritative presence.

Mahan spends most of his time in his spacious office. He has a space heater under his desk to keep him warm. A secretary handles his calls.

A framed picture of his dad's California ranch is on his wall. Another photo pictures him fishing at his dad's pond.

Mahan is a calculated speaker who takes his time to answer questions, often referring to prepared notes. He talks with an even tone but sometimes loosens up, sharing funny stories and revealing his soft spot for his grandchildren.

First impressions

When Mahan moved to Wisconsin, he drove through a horrid rainstorm from the airport.

"We were driving about 30 mph because we could hardly see the road," he said. "And of course, we were greeted like a lot of new people in the city of Janesville, by the Janesville cow."

He later saw men wearing camouflage in garages around his neighborhood. It was deer hunting season. He was clueless about the Wisconsin tradition.

"It's almost a religion here," Mahan said. "I didn't have any camouflage, so I knew I needed camouflage."

For a man who spent 28 years in Bakersfield, a city with 340,000 residents and a police department three times the size of the Janesville department, he might have wondered why he had moved here.

But he was impressed with the city's charm, old neighborhoods and the river running through downtown.

His children, sister and parents all have visited. They understood why he moved here.

"We've experienced Midwest hospitality," Mahan said.

A new chief

Mahan always wanted to be a police chief, and he made an immediate impact when he started his new job.

One of the first things he did was give his staff more authority to make field, investigative or purchasing decisions.

"As employees, we were trusted with a considerable amount of responsibility and held accountable for our actions," Deputy Chief David Moore said. "He earned our respect early."

Mahan changed the way officers responded to serious crimes or emergencies. He told them everyone on duty had to respond, rather than only officers in the area.

"It's a matter of safety for the officers and a matter of safety for the community," Mahan said. "It's also the best way to take a person into custody."

Mahan later created the seven-person street crimes unit, a team of officers that focuses on undercover work and drug-related crimes. He also got police dogs.

"Those are organizational and resource changes that really affect everybody," Deputy Chief Steve Kopp said. "Those stand out as two significant changes that have really had a positive impact."

The department took a new approach to serious cases such as the serial rapist case, a case that was investigated week after week, Moore said. Every good lead was followed. The tactics led to an arrest.

Mahan decided the department would have formal ceremonies for new officers and for promotions, Moore said. Families were encouraged to attend.

"It reminds us all of the honor in our work," Moore said.

Returning to California

Mahan and his wife will move into their retirement home in the mountains east of Fresno, Calif. They have a 40-acre ranch. They might get some horses.

The home is five minutes from Mahan's parents and two hours from his children and grandchildren. It also is near Kings Canyon National Park.

"I'm happy for him," Kopp said. "He's very much a family man, and I'm sure it's been difficult to be separated from his family for all this time."

Mahan said he always will consider Janesville a home. He plans to visit, and he hopes to have some houseguests in California.

"If I could transplant my family, we would live here," he said. "We think this is an absolutely wonderful place to raise a family and be part of the community."