Leading the City of Prairie du Chien is a mayor and eight elected aldermen and alderwomen, who together comprise the city council. The city also employs a professional city administrator, city clerk, deputy city clerk, city assessor and city attorney. The government strives to provide the highest quality public services and programs for its residents and businesses; thus enhancing the standard of living for all in Prairie du Chien. Among the many city services are parks and recreation, planning and zoning, community and economic development, water and sanitation, recycling, the public library, the municipal airport and public safety. The city’s official website is www.cityofpdc.com
The Prairie du Chien Police Department supplies 24/7 law enforcement services to the community through the work of 12 full-time officers, five part-time sworn officers and one full-time clerical staff. The Prairie du Chien Fire Department is also dedicated to community safety with one full-time and 33 volunteer firefighters consisting of a four-member command staff, five line officers and 20 five firefighters. The city has joined with Crawford County to establish the state-of-the-art Crawford County Communications Center, which handles police, fire and emergency calls.
The Seat of Crawford County
As the seat of Crawford County, Prairie du Chien serves as the headquarters of county government operations. The city houses the county’s administration building and the adjacent courthouse and sheriff’s department, which together host the various county departments (with the exception of the highway department, which is located in nearby Seneca, Wisconsin). The modern administration building opened its doors in 2005. It is located on N. Beaumont Road, one block north of downtown, directly across from the 1867 Crawford County Courthouse.