KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Michael Bussell, former Lenexa detective, tells KSHB 41 News the allegations against former Kansas City, Kansas, detective Roger Golubski are troubling.
“It hurts me because it tarnishes the badge, and there’s just too many guys out there just trying to do the right thing and do good cases for it to get smudged so bad,” Bussell said.
Bussell, now a private investigator, says he was approached by the attorney firm working the innocence case of Lamonte McIntyre, a man who was wrongfully convicted of a double murder back in 1994, spending 23 years in jail, a case where Golubski was the lead investigator.
Today, Bussell says these allegations and others like it can leave a lasting impact on a community.
“When we talk about these generational problems where the police are feared and felt as the enemy —us against them, you know — that just breeds that distrust," he said. "And when it goes on for years and years and years, it’s generational. People bring their children up to not trust the police, don’t talk to them, don’t do anything with them."
Bussell explains the distrust makes the job of law enforcement harder because police need the community’s help to do their job.
“There's been a push for community policing," Bussell said. "You see a lot for officers out in the community and just talking to the community about, 'What's your fears? Why don’t you trust the police?' That kind of stuff that you see more of today.
"And I think that’s a big help because police officers cannot do their job without the public. They have to have help from the public, but the public also has to trust the police department, too."
Nonetheless, Bussell hopes these high-profile allegations will be a wake-up call to departments and officers all over, for the betterment of the communities they serve.
“It’s a great training opportunity, it's a great teachable moment for young cops that you’re not going to get away with this," Bussell said. "So do the job and do it with honor, do it with integrity and do it the best way you can. But I think it's a great example to the younger police officers on what not to do."
