KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training earlier this month revoked the peace officer certification of a Kansas City, Kansas, police officer who was caught on video exhibiting unusual behavior.
The officer, who joined KCKPD in January 2018, responded to a call at an apartment building in January 2023. While on the scene of the call, residents of the apartment took video of the officer acting unusual.
After video of the interaction was made public by the residents, KCK police launched a review of the officer, including a “fit for duty” evaluation.
Three months later in April 2023, KCK police released the results of their review, determining the officer did not commit any wrongdoing during the January interaction and that the officer passed an examination performed by several medical professionals.
Despite being cleared by KCKPD, commissioners launched their review after receiving a complaint about the officer.
The commission’s report noted the officer was not charged with any crime due to insufficient evidence and that the officer’s conduct on the call was related to an issue that has since been resolved. The issue itself was redacted in the commission’s report.
Commissioners attempted to schedule an interview with the officer as part of their review of the interaction. Though the officer initially agreed to an interview, his attorney later told the commission that the officer would not appear for any interview.
“The interview was particularly necessary to determine if [the officer] used any prescription-only drug that impaired his skill or judgment in the performance of his duties as an officer,” the commission wrote in its report.
The commission used the officer’s failure to participate in an interview as grounds to revoke the officer’s certification.
A KCK police spokesperson said the officer separated from the department on May 21, 2024 after being on leave since July 2023.
"He has not worked in a law enforcement capacity with the department since that time," the spokesperson said.
KSHB 41 is not using the name of the officer because he was not criminally charged and because the commission revoked his commission solely because of his failure to participate in the commission’s review.
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