This three-page exhibit comes from federal case 3:25-cv-00183-jdp. The court filing labels it Document 45-14, filed May 11, 2026, and marks it as Exhibit 564. The email itself was sent on November 8, 2024, at 7:09 a.m. by OFC Lucas Ciciora to Mayor Jim Paine. Ciciora copied Police Chief Paul Winterscheidt.

Ciciora identifies himself as President of WPPA Local 27 and calls the message a whistleblower disclosure. He says he forwarded an email exchange between WPPA Business Agent Robert Powell and Assistant Chief John Kiel. The subject line accuses Kiel of “intimidation and retaliation of Local 27.”

The alleged media leak

The core allegation concerns information about Investigator Mikayla LeRette. Ciciora writes that the union learned information about LeRette had leaked to the media during an internal investigation and grievance process. He argues the leak appeared designed to damage LeRette’s reputation, pressure her family, and create leverage for the City.

That claim carries the smell of a public workplace fight moving behind closed doors. Ciciora does not merely complain about discipline. He frames the situation as retaliation against a union for defending one of its members.

Discipline, authority, and process

Ciciora argues that the Assistant Chief lacked lawful authority to suspend an investigator without pay. He also says the City tried to proceed outside Wis. Stat. 62.13(5), which governs disciplinary actions against police subordinates. He claims command staff avoided progressive discipline and later brought in an outside investigator to cover their own failures.

The email accuses command staff of letting perceived infractions accumulate. Ciciora says LeRette did not receive a fair chance to correct behavior. He also states that the Police Chief controls department policy and had not delegated that power.

A request for mayoral intervention

Ciciora asks Mayor Paine’s office to intervene. The City of Superior describes the mayor as the chief executive officer responsible for seeing that officers and employees discharge their duties.

Ciciora says any meeting should include City Attorney Frog Prell. The City lists Prell as City Attorney.

He asks for an expedited resolution and warns that low morale endangers citizens and officers. The email ends as a union alarm bell, not a routine personnel note.