Superior’s Justice System: A Comedy of Errors Starring Officer Rankila

So, here we are in Superior, Wisconsin, where the local justice system’s taken another hit straight to it’s credibility. Why? Because Officer Jarid Rankila—25 years old, three years on the force—apparently couldn’t resist a little “creative writing” on his police report. What did he do? Claimed a suspect “slammed” his hand in a car door so he could charge her with a felony. And guess what? They had to throw out 40 criminal cases because of this guy’s flair for dramatics. And now folks are wondering: can you trust any of it?

Let’s dive into the details. Rankila’s report says this lady “slammed” his hand in the door so hard he needed a hospital visit for “severe pain.” Felony battery charge, just like that! But here’s the kicker: body cam footage shows him saying she “almost” slammed his hand. Almost. No slamming, no screaming, no injury, just Rankila flexing his hand like nothing happened. But hey, why let a little truth ruin a good felony, right?

The “Two-Minute Medical Mystery” and a Missing Injury

Now let’s get into the “medical” details. Rankila said he was in so much pain he had to go to the ER. But thanks to squad car GPS data, we know he spent about two minutes there. Yeah, two minutes. That’s barely enough time to say “ouch.” No photos of the injury either, because why bother with evidence? And here’s Fruehauf, the District Attorney, scratching his head, calling it “inexplicable.” You think? Rankila’s got a whole story about “severe pain,” but on camera, there’s no sign of bruising, no swelling—nothing but a questionable police report.

And here’s the best part: some people are side-eyeing Fruehauf, too. They say he has a soft spot for cops, like when he hired a former disgraced officer Chad Lalor right into his office. So now, when Fruehauf decides not to charge Rankila, people aren’t exactly shocked. They’re left wondering if the scales of justice here lean a little too much in favor of the boys in blue. Because, let’s be real—if 40 cases are getting tossed because of one cop’s “creativity,” you’ve got a justice system that’s turning into a punchline.

This story was sourced from KQDS 21

Footnote: A FOIA request has been submitted seeking additional police reports authored by Officer Rankila, along with the video in question and any other videos associated with Officer Rankila’s reports. Those will be made public here.