Jeffrey Kranz says he loves his job. He says his lifelong desire to stop crime and make personal connections on the street is fulfilled every day by his role as captain of the Marquette University Police Department.
Seventeen-year-old Kranz was a bit of a rarity, managing to qualify for the Milwaukee Police Department at such a young age.
“Having been in the department since I was 17… gave me a really good idea of how to run a successful police force,” Kranz says.
Working his way up the ranks at the MPD, Kranz ended his MPD career in 2012 as a member of the tactical team, otherwise known as SWAT.
MUPD is relatively new, making a transition from a public safety department, and officially opening its doors in May 2015.
Kranz helped play an integral part in the department, making it the fully functioning force it is today.
“When Marquette was looking at transitioning to a police department, they offered me an opportunity to help develop the program,” Kranz says. “Now that I am captain at MUPD, my position entails a bunch of different things. I oversee all of the patrol operations and the investigative services. That includes the detectives, and then your cops on the street. I also work on staffing and how we are going to prepare for certain events.”
Kranz says one of the most important jobs he has is putting together the investigative team after an incident occurs.
“We liaison a lot with the Milwaukee Police Department so if ever we need help from them, they are always quick to aid us in response,” Kranz says.
As captain, Kranz says officers look up to him daily for advice and leadership.
“Being there for 26 years instilled me with a lot of lessons learned and guys here definitely look to me as a role model,” Kranz says.
Kranz has recently been serving as the interim chief of MUPD, as the university searches for a replacement for the previous chief.
He says he is very proud of his staff for the way they have continued to go about business in the absence of a chief, saying, “Everyone has really stepped up throughout the entire department and shared the additional workload.”
Currently enrolled in classes at Marquette, Kranz is working his way toward a master’s degree in leadership through the College of Business Administration.
“I’ve always believed you can never stop learning, so I wanted to take advantage of the education that I was offered here,” Kranz says. “Milwaukee is my home and I am excited to see what the future holds for me.”
