Playing basketball with the wrong set of people or frequenting the wrong gas station could land you on a Wichita Police Department list of gang members. Community activists say police make snap judgements that label people as gangsters without any criminal record. That’s about to change. Judge Eric Melgren, chief judge of the U.S. District […]
wichita police
Posted inLocal Government, Watchdog
Highlights, progress, stagnation: A one year check-in on the CJ Lofton task force
After 17-year-old Cedric “CJ” Lofton died in law enforcement custody in September 2021, the community wanted answers. How did this happen? What went wrong? What could be changed to prevent such a thing from happening again? A community task force of 23 members was convened to find those answers and make recommendations for systemic change. […]
Posted inLocal Government
‘It’s a terror to the community’: How Wichita police training in public housing affects the neighborhood
The city’s predominantly Black neighborhoods — which already see a disproportionate police presence — are now seeing police show up in tactical gear to raid vacant buildings even when nothing is wrong. Officers dressed in military-style fatigues, carrying riot shields and displaying weapons began using the vacant housing for training exercises a year ago, part […]
Posted inLocal Government, Watchdog
In Wichita, a bad headlight can lead to jail
How can a traffic ticket ruin a life? A traffic ticket for something as simple as a broken headlight or a missing taillight can snowball into a jail sentence in Kansas for low-income people who can’t afford car repairs or fines. And according to some activists and state representatives, it’s more likely to happen to […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Local Government
DIY Democracy: How to run for City Council or mayor in Wichita
Candidates who want to run for City Council or mayor have a lot of information to dissect and understand and a lot of tasks to complete. A detail as small as where you place your yard sign can be dictated by city ordinances. Getting the essential information isn’t easy. It’s not readily available online. It […]
Posted inLocal Government, Watchdog
A few steps forward, a few steps back: Update on the Cedric Lofton task force recommendations
One notable change is Sedgwick County has launched a pilot program embedding mental health workers among the 911 emergency response team. On the opposite side, Sedgwick County has decided to not include “Stand Your Ground” law reform in its legislative agenda.
Posted inLocal Government, Watchdog
Cedric Lofton’s missing headstone and the slow road of justice
In a Wichita cemetery, an unmarked grave is decorated with flowers, pictures and stones that say, “We miss you.” This is where Cedric Lofton is buried. This weekend, as on most holidays, Lofton’s brother Mark Teetz will visit and remember his baby brother.
Posted inLocal Government, Watchdog
Cedric Lofton’s brother wants accountability from Wichita police and Sedgwick County
One year ago, 17-year-old Cedric Lofton died after being held down for over 30 minutes by four workers in a juvenile detention intake facility. That wasn’t what was supposed to happen. His foster father had called 911 seeking help for Cedric, who was in a mental health crisis, expecting Cedric would be taken to a […]
Posted inLocal Government
Here’s what the community-led search committee is looking for in a new Wichita police chief
Editor’s note: Faith Martin and Harvey Sorensen are donors to The Wichita Beacon. Michael Birzer is a member of The Wichita Beacon’s Community Advisory Board. View a list of our financial supporters here. As the Wichita Police Department reels from a scandal regarding racist text messages sent by Wichita police officers and faces a lawsuit […]
Posted inWatchdog
In his nine-year tenure, Sedgwick County District Attorney has yet to prosecute a police killing
Fifteen men. One woman. No prosecutions. Law enforcement personnel from the Wichita Police Department and Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office have shot and killed 19 people since District Attorney Marc Bennett took office in 2013. Bennett, citing Kansas law, has declined to file charges against officers in 16 of those fatalities. In 15 cases, the officers […]