Federal Court Is a Soap Opera With Footnotes

You know what never lies?
A calendar.

Federal court cases love two things: dates and who had authority on those dates. So here’s your Superior PD Promotion & Retirement Decoder Ring—built for anyone tired of “We take this seriously” while your tax bill quietly weeps.

How to Use This Ring

When a complaint says any of this, grab the timeline:

• • “Supervisor / Sergeant / Captain / Chief” = who held rank that day

• • “Policy-maker” = who owned the rulebook

• • “Failure to train / supervise” = who ran the machine

• • “Retaliation / hostile work environment” = who controlled the workplace heat

Match the incident date to the command date. That’s the trick, and remember Mayor Jim Paine in charge through it all.

The Crown Swap That Matters

• • End of Jan. 2024: Nicholas Alexander retires as Chief.

• • Jan. 27 / Jan. 29, 2024: Paul Winterscheidt sworn in as Chief. 

Translation: before Feb. 2024 = Alexander era.
After Feb. 2024 = Winterscheidt era.
Lawyers love eras. So do Federal juries.

The Timeline (2020–June 4, 2026)

2020: The Carousel Starts Spinning

• • Jan. 3 / Jan. 8, 2020: Bethany Kemi + Michael/Mitch Pitoscia sworn in.

• • Jan. 8, 2020: Retirements noted: Officer Maas, Officer Beste, Officer Hanson; Assistant Chief Markon set to retire in April.

• • Jan. 8, 2020: Probation completions: Dalbec, Kelsey “Probable Cause Barbie” Davis, Schroeder.

• • Feb. 12, 2020: Probation completion: Ashley Johnson.

• • Mar. 11, 2020: Police Officer certified hire list approved.

• • June 11, 2020: John Kiel replaces retiring Matt Markon as Assistant Chief; Sgt. Jack Curphy retires; Sgt. Chris Kirchoff has upcoming retirement.

• • Sept. 9, 2020: Promotions paperwork received for Kiel, Winterscheidt, Eastman, Harriman, Letendre.

• • Aug. 31, 2020: Sgt. Jon McKinnon retires (effective).

• • Oct. 5, 2020: Sgt. Chris Kirchoff retires (effective).

• • Sept. 9, 2020: Probation completions: Finkbeiner, Pope.

• • Oct. 14, 2020: Promotions paperwork received for Joel Markon, Christopher Woolery, Matthew Brown.

• • Oct. 14, 2020: Probation completions: Matthew Swanson, Austin Lauridsen.

• • Dec. 21, 2020 (planned; referenced Dec. 9 minutes): Swearing-in planned for Brittany Letica, Hillary Peterson, Lauren Phillips.

Decoder note: churn creates gaps. Gaps create more lawsuits.

2021: More Boots, Same Gravity

• • May 21, 2021: Four unnamed officers sworn in.

Decoder note: more hiring means more training questions.

2022: Staffing Shortage Joins the Cast

• • Aug. 1, 2022: SPD reported down seven sworn officers; city sought applicants; hiring list activity discussed.

Decoder note: “understaffed” becomes the all-purpose excuse flavor.

2023: Probations, a Resignation, and the Chief Exit Trailer

• • Jan. 11, 2023 / Mar. 9, 2023: Probation completions listed/approved: Greg Mertzig, Collin Deans-Brandt, Taylor Wendt, Jarid Rankila.

• • Mar. 15, 2023: Seth Noll resignation effective.

• • June 14, 2023: Probation completion listed: Mundell.

• • Oct. 9, 2023: Alexander announces retirement effective end of Jan. 2024.

• • Dec. 1, 2023: Winterscheidt announced as next Chief.

Decoder note: transition periods breed “I don’t recall” like it’s spring pollen.

2024: New Chief, New Promotions, Same Taxpayers

• • Jan. 12, 2024: Retirement party for Alexander.

• • Jan. 26–29, 2024: Leadership transition; Winterscheidt sworn in as Chief.

• • Feb. 26, 2024: William Lear promoted to Patrol Captain.

• • Mar. 11, 2024: Jeffrey Harriman promoted to Investigations Captain.

• • Mar. 11, 2024: Sean Holmgren promoted to ICAC Sergeant.

• • Apr. 6, 2024: Tyler Rude promoted to Patrol Sergeant.

• • July 10, 2024: Probation completions listed: Jago, Lofgren, Crist.

• • Sept. 5, 2024: Probationary officer Justin Taylor resigns (effective).

• • Sept. 6, 2024: Jarid Rankila resigns (effective).

• • Nov. 11, 2024: Zachary Pfisthner resigns (effective).

• • Dec. 1, 2024: Probationary officer Jason Moen resigns (effective).

Decoder note: captains sign things. Sergeants supervise things. Paperwork remembers.

2025: Movement, Probations, and a Headline-Ready Exit

• • Apr. 29, 2025: Abigail Bartlett resigns (effective).

• • May 22, 2025: Louis Aguinaga completes probation.

• • Aug. 13, 2025: Probation completions noted: Ben Olson, Captain Jeff Harriman, Sergeant Sean Holmgren, Sergeant Tyler Rude.

• • Sept. 29, 2025: Investigator Mikayla LeRette resigns (effective).

• • Oct. 7, 2025: Andrew Elmquist + Ibrahim Carson complete probation (effective).

• • Dec. 18, 2025: Peter Heehn completes probation (effective).

Decoder note: resignation dates love to show up in discovery.

2026 (Through June 4): Promotions, K-9 Retirement, Hiring List

• • Jan. 5, 2026: Thor Trone promoted to Patrol Captain.

• • Jan. 13, 2026: Russ Milroy promoted to Investigations Captain.

• • Jan. 14, 2026: Record references probation completion for Peter Heehn (completed Dec. 18, 2025).

• • Feb. 26, 2026: K-9 Radik retires; handler noted: Sgt. Tyler Rude.

• • Apr. 8, 2026: Police Officer Hiring List approved.

Decoder note: new captains = new command chain. New chain = new liability map.

Final Crossing Signal

This ring doesn’t prove wrongdoing. It does something better.
It shows who held rank when decisions happened. That’s what federal court cares about. 

And taxpayers should care too—because when “accountability” shows up late, it arrives with attorney fees.