APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) – Polly Olson has announced her retirement, concluding 26 years of service with the Appleton Police Department.
Chief Olson shared the news with her department last week, expressing gratitude for the people and culture that shaped her career.
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“After much reflection, I have made the decision to retire from the Appleton Police Department,” Olson said. “This has not been an easy decision, because this department and each of you mean so much to me. Serving alongside such dedicated, professional, and compassionate people has been one of the greatest honors of my career.”
During her tenure as chief, Olson emphasized organizational strength, community partnerships, officer well-being and open communication.
Under her leadership, the department reached full staffing through focused recruitment efforts and established the Chief’s Cabinet to expand leadership development and encourage bottom-up communication. The department also created a Community Resource Unit, including its first Police Community Engagement Coordinator, and formed a Basic Needs Team in partnership with the Appleton Health Department.
Additional milestones included completing a full organizational rebranding led by internal staff, conducting the department’s first formal staffing study to guide long-term resource allocation, adding a Traffic Safety Officer and Patrol Officer, and investing in equipment focused on officer comfort and safety.
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“I will always cherish my time here and the relationships I’ve built along the way,” Olson said. “My proudest accomplishment will always be serving the community I grew up in and being part of the Appleton Police Department for 26 years. What we have here at APD is special, and that’s because of the unique qualities each of our team members bring to this organization.”
The department said additional information about the process to select the next chief of police will be shared at a later time.
