The Division of Law Enforcement Services is headed by the Administrator. The Administrator is an unclassified position that is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Attorney General. The Administrator works closely with Attorney General Brad Schimel on the Attorney General's priority issues for the DOJ, as well as with local, county, state and federal law enforcement leaders from across Wisconsin and the nation to implement programs and policies of statewide significance or importance.

The primary administrative oversight of the division comes under the Deputy Administrator. The Deputy Administrator is the second in command of the Division and provides high-level oversight to the division’s bureaus, directors, personnel and budget.

The Division is organized into four Bureaus: the Crime Information Bureau; the Crime Laboratory Bureau with facilities in Madison, Milwaukee, and Wausau; the Bureau of Justice Information and Analysis, and the Training and Standards Bureau.

The Crime Information Bureau is responsible for managing four state-wide programs: the Transaction Information for the Management of Enforcement (TIME) System; state criminal history repository, Handgun Hotline and concealed carry licenses / certifications.

The Crime Laboratory Bureau has laboratories in three areas of the state. The crime laboratories in Madison and Milwaukee are full service labs providing analyses in Controlled Substance, Toxicology, DNA/Serology, Firearms/Toolmarks, Identification, and Forensic Imaging.  In addition, the Madison lab houses the State DNA Databank, while the Milwaukee lab provides analyses in Trace Chemistry. The Wausau Laboratory offers Controlled Substance, Identification, and Forensic Imaging analysis. All three WI crime lab locations: Madison, Milwaukee and Wausau, provide crime scene field response for law enforcement.

The Training and Standards Bureau coordinates a variety of criminal justice initiatives and serves as the staff of the Law Enforcement Standards Board (LESB). It administers the programs of the Board for certification of law enforcement, jail and secure detention officers; of instructors; and of academies. The Bureau administers reimbursement of training expenses for participants in LESB programs and coordinates and supports statewide training provided by the Department of Justice to the Wisconsin law enforcement community.  The Bureau also administers state and federal grant funds supporting juvenile justice and adult criminal justice initiatives.

The Bureau of Justice Information and Analysis (BJIA) is responsible for conducting research, analysis, and program evaluation to support evidence-based decision making and policy development.  The BJIA also serves as the Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) for the State of Wisconsin and oversees the Wisconsin Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program.

Review of State Crime Lab Resources for DNA Analysis
Document: Crime Lab Resources Review [PDF]

Division Administration

VACANT

Michael Steffes
Deputy Administrator

Attorney General Brad D Schimel appointed Michael J Steffes to serve as the Deputy Administrator for the Division of Law Enforcement Services (DLES) on October 31, 2016.

Prior to joining DOJ, Mike served as the Chief of Police in the City of Rhinelander for nearly 10 years. Prior to his time as chief, Mike worked for the City of Beaver Dam as a police officer, where he started their canine program and was the city's first canine handler. Mike rose to the rank of Lieutenant in Beaver Dam.  

Mike is a graduate of Northwestern University's School of Police Staff and Command, session #310, the FBI National Executive Institute, session #40, and has completed the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development course. He holds a Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership and Quality from Marian University, a bachelor's degree in Management of Criminal Justice from Concordia University, and an associate degree in Criminal Justice from Fox Valley Technical College.  Mike is an instructor in several disciplines and is a national instructor for the International Association of Chiefs of Police in their Leadership in Police Organizations.