Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the answers to the questions most commonly asked of members of our department. If your specific question is not listed feel free to contact our department at (608) 838-3151.
Q: Where is the McFarland Police Department?
A: The Village of McFarland Police Department is located in the McFarland Municipal Center at 5915 Milwaukee Street, in McFarland, Wisconsin.
Q: What number do I call?
A: You can call the department at (608) 838-3151, you can contact the Dane County Dispatch Center at (608) 266-4948, or in case of an emergency, by dialing 911.
Q: When is the McFarland Police Department open?
A: The McFarland Police Department’s Administrative Office is staffed Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 8:00pm. Officers are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year. You can reach an officer by coming to the department and using the intercom systems located at the north and south entrances to the McFarland Municipal Center.
Q: I just got a ticket, what do I do now?
A: A Village of McFarland citation, whether it is a traffic or an ordinance violation, is handled under the Jurisdiction of the McFarland Municipal Court. If you wish to contest the citation, you must appear on the date and time indicated on the citation. At that time you will be given a trial date or plea to the offense. If your plea is “Not Guilty”, you will be directed to the Village Attorney to attempt to resolve the case. If the case is not resolved, you will be given a trial date on which to return and present evidence to the Judge at which time the Village will also present its case. If your plea is “Guilty” or “No Contest” you will be found guilty, but the Judge will give you an opportunity to speak on your own behalf and offer any mitigating circumstances. For additional questions you can call the McFarland Municipal Court at (608) 838-3764.
Q: Can’t I just pay the darn thing and get it over with?
A: Yes. Any citation can be paid at any time prior to the court date. Payments for the full amount of the forfeiture may be mailed to the address indicated on your citation, placed in and envelope with your citation and put in the drop box located on the north wall of the McFarland Municipal Center, or paid directly to the Clerk of the Municipal Court. Checks should be made out to the Village of McFarland. When a citation is paid, a plea of “No Contest” and finding of “Guilty” is entered by the court and the case is closed.
Q: My car was towed by the McFarland Police Department. Where did it go?
A: If for some reason the McFarland Police Department towed a vehicle belonging to you, you should contact the officer that handled your incident to inquire about the vehicle’s location.
Q: I locked my keys in my car. Will the Police Department come and open it for me?
A: The McFarland Police Department is one of the last departments in the area to offer this service to our community. Unfortunately, due to the potential liability that has caused other departments to stop providing this service, you will have to read and sign a waiver of liability prior to the officer attempting to open the vehicle for you. If the officer can’t get the vehicle open they can have our dispatch center contact a locksmith to respond to your location and open the vehicle for you. However, any expense for the services of the locksmith will be your responsibility.
Q: How do I get a copy of a police or accident report?
A: Reports are usually available within three to five working days after the incident and can be obtained by submitting a written request to the Police Department. There is a nominal fee for copies of reports.
Q: I received a parking ticket. Where do I pay it?
A: You can pay municipal parking tickets at the Police department. The fine can be sent in with the citation by mail or the citation and payment can be put in the drop box on the north wall of the McFarland Municipal Center, or it can be paid in person. It is important to take care of parking tickets because failure to do so may result in the suspension of your vehicle’s license plates.
Q: Can I get a copy of my driving record from the Police Department?
A: The Police Department is not allowed to give out copies of a person's driving record. Wisconsin Administrative Code, Chapter 195, explains how you can obtain a copy of your driving record. You will have to contact:
Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Driver Records Files
P.O. Box 7995
Madison, WI 53707-7995
You must include your complete 14-digit driver’s license number, or your complete name, date of birth, sex, or all of the information above. There is a $3.00 fee for each single record request. The fee for each copy, photocopy, or duplicate of an original record is $.25. It is recommended that you check the price of the record first with the department by calling (608) 266-2353.
Q: What time is curfew in McFarland?
A: McFarland Municipal Ordinance 38-127 establishes the curfew times that are enforced by our department. If a child is under the age of 16 their curfew Sunday-Thursday is from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.. Friday and Saturday their curfew is 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.
If a child is 16-17 years old, their curfew from Sunday-Thursday is 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.. Friday and Saturday their curfew is 12:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.
Q: How do I find out about deceptive business practices and scams?
A: You can find information on Wisconsin’s top consumer complaints and get information on deceptive business practices and scams by calling the Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-422-7128, or by contacting the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection at http://datcp.state.wi.us/core/consumerinfo/.
Q: I found some medication in my child’s possession and I don’t know what it is. How can I identify it?
A: You can contact the Poison Control Center at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee by calling 1-800-815-8855, 24 hours a day. You will need to provide the nurse with the color, shape, and a description of any insignia or imprints on the pills.
Q: A car has been parked on my street for a long time without being moved. When will it be ticketed?
A: While an Officer may become aware of a vehicle that is parked on a village street for longer than the 24 hours allowed by ordinance, citizens know their own neighborhood better. Call us with the location and description of the vehicle. A report will be generated and an officer will begin an investigation and take steps to address the problem.
Q: What are the rules for winter parking?
A: McFarland Municipal Ordinance 35-247(d)(2) regulates winter parking in the Village. From December 1st to March 31st you must park your vehicle on the odd-numbered side of the street on odd-numbered dates, and on the even-numbered side of the street on even-numbered dates. This ordinance is enforced nightly during those dates between 1:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. In the event of a Snow Emergency being declared no vehicles may be parked on village streets.
Q: How can I find out if there are registered sex offenders living in my area?
A: Information on registered sex offenders can be obtained at http://offender.doc.state.wi.us/public/ . The website is maintained by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. You may search using the offender's name (if known) or by entering your zip code.
Q: Can I get a copy of criminal/civil court actions taken against someone from the McFarland Police Department?
A: No. However, many of these records are available to the public on the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access Program (CCAP) at wcca.wicourts.gov/index.xsl.
Q: I think I may be the victim of identity theft. What can I do about it?
A: You can begin by contacting the McFarland Police Department to report the incident. An additional avenue of action that is open to you is to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by contacting the FTC’s Identity Theft Hotline by telephone: toll free 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338). You can contact the FTC by mail by sending correspondence to: Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580; or online at www.consumer.gov/idtheft .
Q: Where can I find information about registering my car? About getting or renewing a Wisconsin driver's license? About suspensions of my license or vehicle registration?
A: Most questions regarding vehicle registration and drivers licensing in Wisconsin can be answered online at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s website at http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/ . You can also take care of online license/registration renewals at that website.