Wichita police officer charged with battery against a prisoner in May 2021 incident

A Wichita police officer is facing charges of misdemeanor battery and disorderly conduct in unrelated 2021 incidents.

The battery charge against officer Andrew Barnett stemmed from a May 14 incident when he was accused of battery against a prisoner, according to a Wichita Police Department release.

No more details about the incident were provided, and a spokesperson for the department said he didn’t know specifics.

Barnett was moved to an administrative assignment within the department after the May incident, pending the outcome of a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office investigation.

The disorderly conduct charge is related to “another incident involving Barnett while off-duty at the Eisenhower National Airport” that WPD officials learned of on Dec. 2.

Barnett, who has been with the department for five years, is on unpaid administrative leave, pending the outcome of criminal and internal investigations.

A spokesperson for the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office said Barnett will make his first appearance in court on Feb. 15 and that details of the case cannot be provided before then.