A 32-page investigatory report released Thursday morning details multiple policy violations by former UW–Madison police chief Kristen Roman, who upon her resignation in February faced allegations of nepotism toward a romantic partner, inappropriate fleet vehicle use, and misreporting of outside-of-work earnings, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. The alleged violations were Roman’s only recorded infractions over her six-year department tenure.
An initial investigation into Roman’s reported misuse of fleet vehicles and failure to track mileage unearthed allegations that she was engaging in a romantic relationship with an unnamed employee in the department, who was not an officer. Roman also allegedly showed favoritism toward that individual — requesting a pay raise for them, spending substantial one-on-one time with them on the clock, and including them in meetings normally reserved for officers.
According to Roman and the employee, they had been in a romantic and sexual relationship starting in January 2024, but investigators noted that Teams messages between them dating back to late June suggested the relationship may have begun earlier.
Roman denied formally requesting a pay raise for the employee, saying she had asked they be short-listed for raise consideration, and she said they had been included in meetings for additional input after incidents that could have evoked a “strong community response.”
Roman said she had not disclosed the relationship to human resources in early January as she was out of the office with an illness and then gone on vacation; the employee said they had not felt the need to make any disclosure as they explored “the viability” of their dynamic.
