This declaration, filed April 17, 2026, comes from Thomas Champaigne in Mikayla Marie LeRette v. City of Superior, Wisconsin, et al., Case No. 25-CV-183. Champaigne states that he served as Captain of Investigations for the Superior Police Department from September 2016 until March 2024. He says he supervised Lieutenant Michelle Pope and Investigator Mikayla LeRette.

Pregnancy, Duty Assignments, and Department Control

Champaigne describes internal discussions after LeRette’s pregnancy and return from maternity leave. He says he consulted Human Resources in December 2022 about whether LeRette could safely remain in narcotics work. He frames the concern as officer safety, not removal based on pregnancy.

He also addresses lactation, light duty, uniforms, schedule changes, and property-room work. The declaration states LeRette returned on light duty and lacked a narcotics partner because Ronald Custer had moved to patrol. Champaigne says the department then assigned her to the property room, where other light-duty officers also worked.

The paper reads like a management defense. Yet it also shows how one employee’s pregnancy, schedule, and movements became subjects of close official scrutiny. For taxpayers, that matters. Public agencies should explain when supervision ends and surveillance begins.

Performance Claims and GPS Tracking

Champaigne says supervisors met with LeRette, Custer, Pope, and him on September 18, 2023. He describes the meeting as a performance discussion unrelated to sex or pregnancy. He adds that both LeRette and Custer faced possible reassignment to patrol because of performance concerns.

The declaration then moves to the sharpest public-accountability issue: tracking. Champaigne says he saw discrepancies between LeRette’s reported hours and her apparent activity. He states that he observed her at home during scheduled work hours. He then placed a tracking device on her City-owned vehicle in February or March 2024.

He says he transferred the device when she switched vehicles. He also says he gave the tracking information to incoming Captain Jeffrey Harriman before retiring in March 2024.

Denials and Counter-Narrative

Champaigne denies sex bias, pregnancy bias, and negative treatment tied to parental leave or lactation needs. He also says LeRette appeared to receive preferential treatment because of her relationship with Chief Winterscheidt.

The declaration therefore serves two purposes. It answers discrimination allegations and builds a misconduct narrative. The document leaves taxpayers with a plain question: did officials enforce policy evenly, or did internal politics shape discipline, assignments, and surveillance?

Superior Police Department official page — official department information.

Superior Police Department staff directory — lists department leadership and contacts.

Western District of Wisconsin official court site — federal court where the case appears.

LeRette v. City of Superior case page on GovInfo — public federal case record.

PACER case information for W.D. Wisconsin — federal docket access information.