Officer Andrew Hopfensperger. (Courtesy Plover Police Dept.)

By Patrick Lynn

Plover Police Officer Andy Hopfensperger has been reinstated to active patrol.

Hopfensperger, who was been with the Plover PD since 2006, was placed on administrative leave on August 11 following a shooting involving an armed attacker.
Police Chief Dwayne Weirzba said that is standard practice in any officer-involved shooting.

Hopfensperger has been cleared in the shooting, which was investigated by the Department of Justice. His actions in the shooting were “reasonable and justified”, according to a statement from the Plover Police Captain Gary Widder.

Hopfensperger responded to an August 8 report of an erratic driver on Highway 54 in the Village of Plover shortly before 7 PM. When

Hopfensperger performed a traffic stop, the driver- 33 year-old Brett Lieberman of from Manawa- exited his vehicle and quickly approached Hopfensperger’s squad car with closed fists but later pulled out a knife.

During the struggle Hopfensperger was nearly stabbed but eventually pushed Lieberman away and fired his department-issued weapon several times.

While Hopfensperger was not injured in the attack, he told investigators he believed Lieberman intended to kill him.

Lieberman was treated for his injuries and released. He currently remains behind bars at the Portage County Jail on $100,000 cash bond.

Lieberman is being charged with first degree intentional attempt-ed homicide and has an initial appearance in circuit court on October 6.