Inspector James F. Hutchinson

Inspector James F. Hutchinson began his law enforcement career with the Milwaukee Police Department in 2001.  After graduating the police academy, he was assigned to patrol in District 2.  In 2004 Inspector Hutchinson was assigned to the Gang Crimes-Intelligence Division, working gun and drug investigations. 

In 2006, Inspector Hutchinson was promoted to Detective and was assigned to the Vice Control Division, the Robbery Unit, and in 2008, he was assigned as a detective in the Homicide Unit of the Criminal Investigation Bureau.  Inspector Hutchinson worked in homicide for the next 12 years.  Inspector Hutchinson was assigned to the Homicide Cold Case Unit in 2018, seeking justice and demonstrating that we never forget.

In 2020, Inspector Hutchinson was promoted to Lieutenant and was the MPD supervisor assigned to the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force section of the Special Investigations Division.  In that assignment, Inspector Hutchinson supervised officers and detectives with the goal of disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations that bring dangerous drugs into our community.

Inspector Hutchinson was promoted to Captain in November 2022 and was assigned as the commander of the Special Investigations Division, which has a mission to curb violent crime by focusing on the most prolific offenders through a Fugitive Apprehension Unit, Violence Reduction Unit, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and federal partnership task forces with the US Marshals, DEA, FBI, and ATF.

In December 2023, Inspector Hutchinson was assigned as commander of the Homicide Division, working alongside some of MPD’s best investigators to impact violent crime in our community by seeking justice for the families of homicide victims.

In June of 2026, Inspector Hutchinson was promoted to Inspector of the Criminal Investigation Bureau.

Inspector Hutchinson has been with the Milwaukee Police Department’s Crisis Negotiation Unit since 2006, and is the commander of that unit.  The goal of the unit is the peaceful resolution of crisis situations through de-escalation, utilizing active listening to lower emotionality and increase rationality.

Inspector Hutchinson grew up in the City of Milwaukee, and is the proud son of retired MPD Police Officer James W. Hutchinson.  Inspector Hutchinson retired from the Wisconsin National Guard in 2006 after 20 years of service as a ground and flight medic in both the Army and Air Force National Guard.