A career built on service: Appleton Police Chief Polly Olson reflects on leadership, community and her UW-Oshkosh roots

Polly (Reinke) Olson stands outside the Appleton Police Department headquarters in Appleton. The 1995 University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh biology graduate became the department's first female police chief in 2023 and will retire in January 2027 after 26 years of service.

Before becoming Appleton's first female police chief, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh alumna Polly (Reinke) Olson,'95, spent time assisting pathologists in a hospital morgue, helping with autopsies and responding to death scenes as a deputy coroner.

It was not exactly the career path she imagined while studying biology at UW-Oshkosh in the early 1990s.

"I'd like to say that life intervened a little bit," Olson said with a laugh.

Now, after 26 years with the Appleton Police Department and more than three years as chief, Olson is preparing for retirement in January 2027, closing out a career defined by leadership, community relationships and a belief in the value of a broad four-year education.

Long before Olson wore a police badge, the 1995 UWO biology graduate imagined a future in medicine, education or science. Certainly, not law enforcement.

A first-generation college student finds her footing

A native of Appleton, Olson initially attended University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as a nursing student before transferring to UW-Oshkosh, drawn in part by the university's strong reputation in nursing and science programs.

"I really felt like I made the best choice that I could have made for myself at the time," said Olson, who lived at home to save money. Her father worked in shipping and receiving as a logistics manager, and her mother later worked in human resources. While her parents encouraged college, paying for it was largely up to her.

So Olson commuted from Appleton and worked 20 to 30 hours a week while attending classes full time. Much of that work took place at St. Elizabeth Hospital, where she held early morning shifts in the laboratory beginning at 5 a.m.

By the time she graduated, Olson had paid for her degree herself and avoided student loans entirely.

"I obtained a fantastic education and I was able to do it in a way that, again, to be able to graduate without any loans was a big deal," she said.

Her years at UW-Oshkosh also shaped her personal life. Shortly before transferring from Milwaukee, she met fellow Titan Jay Olson, '96 Bachelor of Science in Sports Management, who would later become her husband.

"He's also from Appleton," Olson said. "You could say it's an alumni love story."

At the time, Olson envisioned a future in medicine. She shifted from nursing into biology while considering medical school or becoming a physician assistant. Along the way, she immersed herself in science coursework and memorable field experiences, including a spring break biology course in the Florida Keys where students camped on the beach while studying the local ecosystem.

From biology labs and morgues to police ride-alongs

But after graduation, life shifted again. Soon after graduation Olson married in August of 1995, began building a family and eventually reconsidered medical school because it would likely require leaving the Fox Valley, where both she and her husband had deep roots.

She briefly returned to UW-Oshkosh to pursue teacher certification in biology and chemistry before another pivot changed everything. Working in the St. Elizabeth lab led to opportunities assisting pathologists with autopsies and morgue work. Eventually, Olson also took a position as a deputy coroner in Outagamie County, responding to death scenes throughout the community.

"That ended up actually becoming a part-time job for me, in addition to my work in the lab," Olson said.

The experience exposed her to detectives and investigators from the Appleton Police Department, who encouraged her to consider law enforcement. At first, the idea seemed far-fetched.

"Honestly, it was not anywhere near on my radar at all," she said. "Twenty-five, 26 years ago, that wasn't a career path that most women were encouraged to explore in high school."

Still, Olson agreed to go on several ride-alongs with Appleton officers in 2000. The experience immediately clicked.

"The moment I sat in that squad car, it opened my eyes up to a whole different world," she said. "When people say that it's a calling, for me, it kind of was."

Her husband needed some convincing.

"It didn't go well at first," Olson admitted, laughing. At the time, the couple had two very young children, and Olson was only months postpartum when she began preparing for the physical fitness test required for police recruits.

Eventually, her husband became one of her biggest supporters, helping her prepare for the fitness requirements and encouraging her through the hiring process.

Olson joined the Appleton Police Department in January 2001. Over the next 25 years, she rose steadily through the ranks, serving as patrol officer, school resource officer, lieutenant, captain and assistant chief before becoming the first female police chief in department history in 2023.

Building a career-and relationships-in Appleton

Looking back, Olson said what surprised her most about policing was how relationship-driven the profession truly is.

"When you think of law enforcement many times, people think about force, arrests, things like that," she said. "When in reality, really this line of work is about community. It's about relationship building. It's about strong communication and resolving conflict.

"What got me here was this sense of excitement," she added. "But what kept me here are the relationships built along the way."

That philosophy also shaped her leadership approach as chief. During Olson's tenure, the department achieved full staffing, expanded community engagement initiatives and strengthened officer wellness and leadership development efforts.

Why a broad four-year education still matters

But Olson believes one of the department's long-standing strengths began even before she arrived: hiring nontraditional candidates with four-year degrees from a wide range of academic backgrounds.

"One of the things that sets Appleton apart from many other police departments is that we have a tendency to prefer to hire people with four-year degrees, even if it's not a degree in criminal justice," Olson said.

For Olson, her biology degree and broader UW-Oshkosh education helped shape her communication skills, perspective and approach to problem-solving.

"It's just the strength in communication skills and having a broader perspective of the world," she said. "You don't have the ability to understand all the different aspects that play a role in conflict if your exposure is too narrow."

That broader perspective is something she now encourages in younger people considering careers in public service.

"As much as I think a criminal justice degree is important, I always encourage students to do something else in addition to that," Olson said. "Something in communication, psychology or another field entirely. Having that diversity in your education is important."

Leaving the department stronger than she found it

As retirement approaches, Olson said the timing feels right. Her first grandchild is due within weeks, and after decades of shift work and long hours, she hopes to spend more time with family. At the same time, she believes the department is in a strong place for the next generation of leadership.

"I always felt like when I retired, I wanted to retire on my own terms, not because it was suggested it was time" Olson said.

"Things are good," she added. "My goal was always to leave this department just a little bit better than how I found it. And I feel like I did that."

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