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Van Hollen appoints investigator

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by Kevin Bargnes

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced Wednesday the new head of the Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation, Mike Myszewski.

Myszewski was promoted to the position after serving as acting administrator since earlier this year. Van Hollen said Myszewski is “truly a law enforcement professional” with “a distinguished and varied career in public safety.”

DCI works with crimes including arson, drug trafficking and crimes against children.

Now that he is officially in the position of administrator, Myszewski said he hopes to bring together DCI and local law enforcement.

“I will continue to build strong professional relationships between Wisconsin’s law enforcement communities and DCI, so that together we are prepared to meet the challenges of the future,” he said.

Myszewski worked with the Milwaukee Police Department before graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He began working with DOJ in 1982, and, in 1989, began working with white-collar crimes.

Since 2003, Myszewski has worked as director of DCI’s narcotics bureau, the largest investigative bureau in the division. Van Hollen lauded him for his work during that time.

“As the director of the narcotics bureau, his work has led to a dramatic decline in methamphetamine labs and produced the largest drugs and asset seizures in the history of the state,” Van Hollen said.

The hiring process consisted of a screening and interview process. Because DCI frequently works with state law enforcement, the process included a warden and a sheriff.

UW Police Department Chief Susan Riseling was a member of the board that did the final interviews.

The position opened in January when former DCI Administrator James Warren unexpectedly retired. An e-mail from Warren acquired by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said that Warren’s life had grown “very difficult” as a result of working with Van Hollen.

DOJ spokesperson Kevin St. John and Van Hollen have not commented on the e-mail or the retirement, and Myszewski would not comment on the issue beyond saying he had faith in his employees’ professionalism.

Myszewski’s appointment will be effective Sunday. His annual salary will be $100,000.

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