“The railroad is part of the city of Altoona. This is how Altoona came to existence. I take pride in being a railroader and I take pride in protecting, educating and teaching our community about the rail.”
Jesse James was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2018, representing the 68th Assembly District. He is a lifelong resident of the Chippewa Valley and a 20-year-plus veteran of law enforcement.
After his time serving in the U.S. Army and Reserves, James worked for several years in the private sector before attending Chippewa Valley Technical College where he earned a degree in Police Science in 2001. He worked as a police officer with the Spring Valley and Elmwood Police Departments, before earning a full-time opportunity with the Altoona Police Department in December, 2002. James was promoted to investigator in 2009 before becoming the acting chief of police in April 2011, and then finally being appointed police and fire chief in October 2013. He’s currently a part-time police officer for the Cadott Police Department.
James has also worked with staff to educate the community regarding the railroad traffic in the City of Altoona, including the creation of a city ordinance to address trespassing on the railroad. “The goal for me is to educate our community about the railroad. It truly is about public safety,” Rep. James states.