Should GPS Tracking Be Permitted For Non-Violators of Restraining Orders?

Gov. Scott Walker has proposed $3 million for grants to execute GPS tracking of certain people considered dangerous who have not yet violated a restraining order against them.

Gov. Scott Walker announced a plan to budget $3 million for grants to “allow GPS monitoring of certain dangerous individuals receiving first-time restraining orders.” Last April, Walker signed “Cindy’s Law,” which allows courts to institute GPS monitoring for restraining order violators. The new plan would allow people deemed especially dangerous to be tracked by GPS before violating the order. Relatives of a victim from last year’s Azana Spa Shooting in Brookfield have been pushing for tougher laws. Is it right that people who haven’t violated an order should have their whereabouts tracked electronically? And should the state provide grants to make it happen? Vote in our poll and discuss in the comments.

•  59 Comments
• Photos (1)

Laurie Czerwinski

8:10 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

They won't be granted a restraining order without sfficient proof or fact.   more ›

Choral Arts Society: U.S. Premiere of "The Cry"

"The Cry is an act of remembrance for those affected by the loss of life or childhood due to violence. Through this work, feelings of anger, grief and helplessness are transformed into feelings of hope, healing and peace."

Caledonia Man Arrested For Allegedly Beating His Girlfriend

While the scuffle happened outside of the Mosquito Inn bar, a man quickly finds out he's not welcome after he allegedly struck his girlfriend in the head.

A man allegedly hit a woman in the head at 5:41 p.m. Sunday at the Mosquito Inn, 3208 Four Mile Road. The 43-year-old Caledonia woman told police the 43-year-old Caledonia man started cursing at her and called her names in the bar, according to a report by the Caledonia Police Department. While the two were outside, the man struck the woman on the back of the head. She came into the bar and several patrons at the bar confronted the man. The man left the bar and went to his apartment in the 4400 block of Kennedy Drive. He was arrested for disorderly conduct and battery and taken into police custody to the Racine County Jail.

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Caledonia Man Charged For Allegedly Beating And Choking His Girlfriend

Caledonia Police find man hiding in his car after allegedly beating his girlfriend.

A local man was charged by the Racine County District Attorney’s Office with battery after he allegedly punched and strangled his 19-year-old girlfriend. Jonathan Bielefeld, 21, of Caledonia, was cited for domestic abuse – strangulation and battery. Bielefeld’s girlfriend climbed into bed with him at about 6 a.m. Jan. 1, 2012 at his home in the 7400 block of Paul Bunyan Road when he “went crazy,” according to a report by the Caledonia Police Department. Bielefeld allegedly punched the woman in the face with his fist, pulled her out of bed by her hair, smashed her head into the wall several times and choked her. The woman told police that Bielefeld threatened to kill her. To escape, she told Bielefeld she felt like vomiting and she went …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Caledonia Man Arrested For Beating And Choking His Brother Over Cell Phone Bill

21-year-old man upset because his older brother canceled his cell phone service.

A 21-year-old Caledonia man was arrested for beating his 35-year-old brother over an unpaid cell phone bill at 4:29 p.m. Oct. 6 in the 2400 block of Broadleaf Court. The man told police he had come over to his older brother’s house to get his belongings and was confronted about the bill. When the younger brother said he didn’t have any money to pay the bill, the 35-year-old man told him he had canceled his account. This allegedly made the 21-year-old brother angry. He grabbed his older brother and started punching and choking him. The older brother allegedly grabbed the younger brother and pulled him downstairs, punched the victim in the mouth, head butted him and grabbed him by the testicles. The 21-year-old man was arrested for domestic-…

• Photos (1)

She Once Loved This Caledonia Man, But Now She Sings Songs About Their Volatile Relationship

Jamie Brace's relationship with Derek Lynn was volatile, now she encourages others to get out of abusive relationships.

Normally when I write stories about domestic violence, I don't get a thank you letter. I usually get an angry letter from the victim, the victim's family or the family of the person who was accused in the incident. And that letter often chastises me for outing a secret. But when I wrote about Derek Lynn, a Caledonia man who had been arrested three times in six weeks and during the last arrest was accused of pouring gasoline on his girlfriend, I got a thank you note from Jamie Brace, Lynn's ex-girlfriend. Lynn used to go by the name of Derek Sean Kosakoski and in 2005, Brace filed for and was given a restraining order against him. So I met Jamie and her drummer, Steve Campeau, a few weeks ago and we talked about her experience with domestic…

•  1 Comment
• Videos (2)

Caledonia Man Turns Himself In After He Bites His Wife

Things got a little noisy and then a little physical.

A man was arrested after he allegedly fought with his wife, bit her in the face, and fled the scene at 1:53 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23. A 32-year-old man faces charges of disorderly conduct, battery and damage to property at a residence located in the 426 Three Mile Road, according to a report by the Caledonia Police Department. The couple fought over tenants complaining about the noise from their apartment. There had been 11 complaints. While fighting, the man allegedly smashed their phone, “threw a bottle of hot sauce at the wall and bit her on the left cheek of her face,” wrote Officer David Rewolinski in the report. The man also destroyed a picture frame, ripped her wedding ring off and threatened to flush it down the toilet. The man …

• Photos (1)

New Domestic Violence Bill Protects Victims From Internet Abuse Across State Lines

New technology means new rules are needed to protect victims of domestic violence.

State Senator Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) has introduced a new bill to protect domestic violence victims, even if their abuser lives in another state. Drafted with Representative Amy Loudenbeck (R-Clinton), the Personal Jurisdiction Law aims to eliminate interstate barriers police currently face. “Our bill is about protecting victims of abuse, making them safer, and improving their quality of life,” said Wanggaard in a press release. “This legislation protects victims from continued threats and harassment from across state lines. I would hope this bill will gain wide bipartisan support.” When the victim of domestic violence decides to report the abuse or leave their abuser, they're putting a lot of faith into their local law enforcement by …

• Photos (2)

Man Arrested after Altercation with his Girlfriend

The man was arrested after he fled the scene on foot and caught in the woods.

A man struck his live-in girlfriend several times while they were in a car that was parked on Highway H just south of Four Mile Road at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Police arrested the 26-year-old Racine man for battery and disorderly conduct. According to a report from the Caledonia Police Department, the woman told police her boyfriend had stayed out all night drinking and had come home to their apartment at 2 p.m. The door to the apartment was locked and the man was agitated and he got into their car. The woman left the apartment and got into the car with the man because she was worried about him since he was still drunk. The man demanded that she drive him to another woman’s house and she pulled over to the side of the road to let him out. The …

• Photos (1)

Woman Arrested for Hitting Her Boyfriend

Woman's family says she suffers from postpartum depression.

A 20-year-old Caledonia woman was arrested for domestic abuse and domestic criminal damage to property at 11:11 p.m. Thursday in the 4300 block of Kennedy Drive. According to a report by the Caledonia Police Department, the woman allegedly hit her live-in boyfriend during an argument. The woman's boyfriend told police his girlfriend suffers from postpartum depression. The woman had been drinking and when she came home, her boyfriend confronted her about drinking because she was still breastfeeding their baby. The two argued and according to a witness, the woman got upset and began hitting her boyfriend in her face and chest. She also broke a picture frame and several other items. The man told police he was "just trying to do the right …

• Photos (1)