1 Wis. sheriff’s deputy resigns, 1 demoted after Facebook video shows burning uniformed effigy

Effigy video on Facebook burns 2 Wis. deputies

CHILTON, Wis. — One eastern Wisconsin sheriff’s deputy has resigned and another has been demoted after a video on Facebook showed them and others burning a dummy in a department uniform.

The video taken last month shows the deputies burning a uniformed effigy propped against a small cross. A woman at one point says the burning cross has a “KKK aspect to it.”

Calumet County Sheriff Jerry Pagel said Tuesday that Deputy Jennifer Bass resigned and Wendy Schmitz has been demoted to dispatcher. Bass had been a jailer and Schmitz had been an investigative sergeant.

The sheriff says both women called the burning a “stress reliever.” Notes bearing names of the sheriff and other officers were affixed to the dummy.

Bass’ phone number isn’t listed. A telephone message left for Schmitz wasn’t returned.