A new three-year union contract for the Wichita Police Department includes pay raises and retention bonuses, but critics say it fails to address demands for improving transparency around police misconduct. The contract with the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) will cost the city at least $9 million more than budgeted, in part to fund salary […]
Watchdog
The Wichita Beacon investigates wrongdoings in our community and acts as a watchdog through our reporting.
Posted inWatchdog
A child in crisis died in juvenile custody. How can Wichita prevent it from happening again?
Update: Sedgwick County corrections employees involved in the death of Cedric “C.J.” Lofton won’t face criminal charges, District Attorney Marc Bennett said during a press conference on Jan. 18, 2022. Lofton, 17, died after becoming unresponsive as Department of Corrections staff restrained him face-down for over 30 minutes. An autopsy ruled Lofton’s death a homicide. […]
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Kansas is challenging the federal vaccine mandates. Spirit and Textron are moving forward with them.
Editor’s note: We updated this story on Nov. 29 to clarify that Spirit and Textron are following a mandate for employees of federal contractors to be vaccinated by Jan. 4. The story, including the headline and a subhead, were also revised to clarify that there are three federal mandates related to vaccine mandates. Also, the […]
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After hundreds of 911 calls, police and advocates for people without shelter struggle to address a downtown crisis
The corner of Second and Topeka streets in downtown Wichita recently received an onslaught of attention regarding its unsheltered residents. On Oct. 5, the city’s Public Works & Utilities department painted white lines around United Methodist Open Door, a social services organization, and nearby buildings to disperse encampments and respond to an increase in violence […]
Posted inCivic Engagement, DIY Democracy, Local Government, Watchdog
How to cast your ballot in Wichita school board, city council races
Voters are already trickling into the Sedgwick County Election Office to cast their ballots. Early voting runs through Nov. 1 and Election Day is Nov. 2. Ready to exercise your right to vote? Here’s a nonpartisan guide to make it as easy as possible. I’m an in-person voter in Sedgwick County. What do I need? […]
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Fentanyl-laced drugs are in Wichita. Here’s what can be done to keep residents alive.
Dr. Heather Roe has a front-row seat in watching a generation of parents bury their kids. She’s an addiction medicine specialist running Harmony Medical Clinic, a facility that specializes in medical treatments for people addicted to opioids, alcohol and other substances. Drug addiction has been a national concern for years, but she’s seeing a dramatic […]
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Hurdles too high for some Kansans seeking emergency rental assistance
Sheila Sager doesn’t know if she should pack her bags. Her twins caught COVID. The electric company was threatening to shut off the lights. Her landlord was preparing to sell the house she rented, irritated with her pleas to get his cooperation on rental assistance paperwork. Sager was unemployed and behind on her bills — […]
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Over 225 complaints have been filed against Wichita Police so far this year
If you’ve been mistreated by local law enforcement, there are avenues you can take to file a complaint against a police officer. The Professional Standards Bureau of the Wichita Police Department investigates allegations of misconduct against the department and its staff. The department’s website encourages citizens to report allegations of misconduct to an officer’s bureau commander or […]
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Out of detention, into debt: How fines and fees bury young people in Kansas’ justice system
The moment a case is filed in juvenile court, the dollars owed rack up. There’s a $34 docket fee. Sedgwick County can tack on a law library fee up to $14. Kansas does appoint an attorney for free, but for any following casework the attorney can charge a “reasonable fee,” a number not specified in state law. NyKia Watkins said […]
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Wichita joins a long list of cities where gang data has been challenged
Update: A federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a gang list maintained by the Wichita Police Department will continue, though a judge dismissed three of its seven counts. The lawsuit, filed by Progeny, Kansas Appleseed and the ACLU in April 2021 on behalf of four Black men in Wichita, alleges that the gang list targets […]