(Madison) – Door County Sheriff Department Professional Standards Captain, Carl Waterstreet is the 2025 First Responder of the Year for the First Assembly District. On Tuesday, Representative Joel Kitchens presented Waterstreet with the award during a ceremony in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Representative Kitchens says Waterstreet talked to him about a bill idea that became state law.
“Wisconsin is a safer place because of Carl Waterstreet,” Kitchens said, “In 2023, Carl and his son, Connor, came to me with a bill to help first responders find missing people sooner. That bill is now law thanks to Carl’s leadership.”
The Kelsey Smith Act requires wireless providers to turn over the device location information to law enforcement without a warrant. Wisconsin became the 31st state to pass the bill into law.
Since 2021, Carl has served as the Professional Standards Captain for the Door County Sheriff’s Office. Previously, he served in the Sturgeon Bay Police Department from 2000 to 2015, and has dedicated himself to the Wisconsin Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Door County Sheriff Tammy Sternard says she is grateful for Waterstreet’s service.
“Our community is fortunate that Carl found his way back to our area,” Sternard said, “His prior experience with the Sturgeon Bay Police Department and his work with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force make Carl an outstanding member of our team.”
Weatherstreet will soon be restarting a podcast he helped create, through the Wisconsin Department of Justice, called The Protect Kids Online (PKO) Podcast. The podcast focuses on tips for combating online child exploitation, cyberbullying, and healthy online habits.
Along with providing each award recipient with a legislative citation recognizing their achievement, the State Assembly also passed a resolution declaring October 14, 2025, as “First Responders Appreciation Day.”
The “First Responder of the Year” award was created in 2019 to recognize the brave men and women who serve in our emergency services. State Representatives from each legislative district seek nominations from their communities and select one person who best exemplifies community service, selflessness, and dedication. This year’s recipients include police officers, sheriff’s deputies, firefighters, and all levels of EMS personnel.
Representative Kitchens represents Door, Kewaunee, and parts of Brown County.
