The former chief deputy of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, who was forced out last year for romantic and sometimes sexual relationships with female subordinates, is now working in the neighboring county as a patrol officer at the Neillsville Police Department.
An investigation conducted by Jackson County Sheriff Duane Waldera last year and obtained by The Badger Project in a records request found that ex-Chief Deputy Adam Olson had inappropriate relationships with at least three female deputies and also the county’s then-HR director, while he was on duty. He was also accused of “hostile” or “negative” behavior towards some female employees over the course of many years, according to the investigation.
After 15 years of full-time employment there, Olson resigned from Jackson County in March of 2024 and was hired at the Neillsville Police Department in July of 2024, according to the state Department of Justice.
One female deputy at Jackson County, who said she had a flirtatious but not physical relationship with Olson, reported that he acted inappropriately towards her, such as pushing her against a wall at the courthouse and trying to kiss her. The deputy also told investigators that in a separate event, Olson had grabbed her thighs while she was sitting and said, “you know you want it.” While those encounters were consensual, the deputy said she refused Olson because he was married.
When that deputy, whose name is redacted in the investigation, started dating another employee of the sheriff’s office, she told investigators that Olson’s attention to her soured and became hostile. The deputy said she could not report to the HR director at the time, who is no longer employed by the county, because Olson was currently in a romantic relationship with her. She told investigators Olson forced her resignation from the office and blocked her from returning as a part-time employee.
Hellbound and Down 