First Offense Arrest for Retail Theft

My question involves criminal law for the state of: Wisconsin

i was caught by kmart loss prevention today for about $44 of merchandise. i was arrested, taken to the police station, finger printed, etc. and released with a $170 citation with optional court appearance. the kmart people themselves served me some kind of civil notice thing but said they weren't going to try and collect any further money from me since the stuff i stole wasn't damaged/opened. okay, i'll pay the citation or whatever, all i'm worried about is how this looks on my permanent record. is this a misdemeanor offense then? i think the cop told me that paying the fine is considered a conviction for the purposes of my record. is there any way around this? the money i'm not worried about, but i don't need something like this hanging over my head when i'm looking for a job in the future.

If you are charged with a misdemeanor then yes, obviously, that's a criminal offense. If you are convicted of a crime then yes, obviously, you get a criminal record.

Consult a criminal defense lawyer about any options that might be available to you, that could allow you to avoid a criminal conviction.