You’ve probably seen the squad cars if you’re driving through central Wisconsin. They have a distinct look. It’s not just "Everest" or "Schofield" plastered on the side—it’s the Everest Metro Police Department. For a lot of folks moving to the Wausau area, this setup is a bit confusing. Is it a county thing? A city thing? Honestly, it’s a bit of both, but mostly it’s a masterclass in how small municipalities can pool their cash to get big-city protection.
Regionalization is a buzzword in local government circles. Everyone talks about "synergy" and "cost-saving," but the Everest Metro Police Department is one of the few places where the rubber actually met the road decades ago. It serves the Village of Weston and the City of Schofield. That’s a unique partnership. Most towns guard their autonomy like a dragon guards gold, but back in the 90s, these two decided that sharing a police force was just smarter than fighting over border disputes and radio frequencies.
The Weird History of How Everest Metro Came to Be
It wasn’t always this way. Schofield had its guys. Weston had its guys. In 1993, things changed. They realized that crime doesn't care about a "Welcome to Schofield" sign. If a shoplifter hits a store in Weston and sprints across the line, having two different dispatchers and two different chiefs is just a recipe for a headache. So, they merged.
The department is governed by a Police Commission. This isn't just a group of politicians sitting around; it’s a structured body with representatives from both the Village and the City. They handle the budget, the hiring, and the big-picture stuff. It’s basically a joint venture. If you look at the 2024 or 2025 budget cycles, you’ll see the math is pretty transparent. They split costs based on a formula that accounts for population and calls for service. It’s fair, though it leads to some lively debates during budget season when property taxes are on the line.
Why the "Metro" Label Actually Matters
Most people think "Metro" means a huge city like Chicago or Minneapolis. Here, it’s different. In the context of the Everest Metro Police Department, it refers to the metropolitan area of the Wausau suburbs. By combining forces, they can afford things a small village of 15,000 people usually can't. Think about K9 units. Think about a dedicated detective bureau.
If you’re a small-town cop, you’re a jack-of-all-trades. You might be responding to a barking dog one minute and a felony warrant the next. At Everest Metro, they have the scale to specialize. They have officers who are specifically trained in crash reconstruction or drug recognition. That’s the "Metro" advantage. It’s about having a deeper bench. When a big incident happens at the Target or the local schools, they can flood the area with more officers than a standalone Schofield department ever could have managed on its own.
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The Daily Reality of Policing Weston and Schofield
What does a shift look like? It’s a mix. You’ve got the heavy commercial traffic along Business 51. Then you’ve got the residential quiet of the Weston neighborhoods. The department deals with everything from standard traffic stops to the more complex issues that come with being a regional hub.
Public Safety and Community Outreach
They do a lot of "Coffee with a Cop" type stuff. It sounds cliché, but in a community this size, it actually matters. People want to know the person behind the badge. The department has been pretty vocal about its "Transparency Matters" initiative. They use body cameras. They release annual reports that don't just hide the bad stuff under a rug.
For instance, looking at recent data, the department has had to pivot toward mental health response. Like everywhere else in the country, the Everest Metro area has seen a spike in calls that are more about a crisis than a crime. They’ve worked on getting officers trained in CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) techniques. It’s not just about handcuffs; it’s about de-escalation.
The Logistics of the Joint Building
They operate out of a facility on Schofield Avenue. It’s a central spot. It houses the patrol division, the records department, and the administration. If you need to pick up a crash report or pay a ticket, that’s where you go. It’s a physical manifestation of the merger. It’s efficient. One building to heat, one roof to fix, one parking lot to plow.
Common Misconceptions About Everest Metro
People often ask: "If I live in Weston, am I paying for Schofield’s police?"
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The answer is: You’re paying for your police, who happen to also cover Schofield. The tax levy is calculated very carefully. It’s not a "one size fits all" bill. The Police Commission looks at the percentage of calls. If Weston grows—and it has been growing—Weston pays a larger share of the pie. It’s a dynamic system.
Another myth? That they are the same as the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office. Nope. While they work together closely, especially on big cases or highway incidents, the Everest Metro Police Department is its own entity. They have their own Chief of Police—currently Dan Vergin, who has been a staple in the department for a long time—and their own specific jurisdiction.
The Challenges of Modern Policing in Central Wisconsin
It’s not all sunshine and community parades. Recruitment is tough.
Ask any police chief in the Midwest right now, and they’ll tell you the same thing: nobody is applying. Everest Metro has to compete with the Wausau Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office for the same pool of candidates. To stay competitive, they’ve had to look at their benefits packages and their lateral transfer policies. They want experienced cops, not just rookies straight out of the academy.
They also deal with the "I-39 corridor" issues. Being right off the highway means drugs and human trafficking move through the area. It’s a reality of 21st-century policing. The department participates in regional task forces to combat this. They aren't an island; they are part of a massive law enforcement network that stretches across the state.
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How to Interact with the Department
If you’re a resident or just passing through, there are a few things you should know.
First, they are big on social media. They use their Facebook page for everything from "find this suspect" to "look at this cool dog we found." It’s effective. The community engagement is high. If there’s a road closure or a major incident, that’s usually where you’ll find the first update.
Second, the anonymous tip line is real. They actually use it. A lot of people think those tips go into a black hole, but for a department this size, a tip about a drug house or a recurring theft is gold.
Actionable Steps for Residents
- Sign up for local alerts: Don't wait for the news. Use the department’s notification systems to get real-time info on emergencies.
- Request a vacation watch: If you’re heading out of town, you can actually tell them. They’ll have patrol officers keep an extra eye on your house when they have a spare minute. It’s a free service that people forget exists.
- Attend a Commission Meeting: If you’re annoyed about the budget or want to see more patrols in your neighborhood, show up. These meetings are public. It’s where the decisions are made.
- Review the Annual Report: They publish a breakdown of every crime category, from DUIs to burglaries. It’s the best way to see if your neighborhood is actually getting safer or if it’s just "Nextdoor app" paranoia.
The Everest Metro Police Department stands as a pretty solid example of what happens when local governments stop fighting over turf and start looking at the balance sheet. It’s not a perfect system—no government agency is—but it provides a level of service that neither Weston nor Schofield could manage alone. It’s a model that other small towns in Wisconsin are constantly looking at to see if they can replicate the success. Whether it's the 24/7 patrol coverage or the specialized investigative units, the "Metro" approach has basically become the backbone of public safety in this corner of Marathon County.