Former Wichita police chief refutes city manager claim that he didn’t know about messages

Wichita City Manager Robert Layton says he was left in the dark by former police chief Gordon Ramsay about the police department’s handling of racist and inappropriate messages sent by officers until last month.

But Ramsay says he notified Layton of the text messages nearly a year ago and updated his office as he gathered more information.

Mayor Brandon Whipple said the differing accounts are “very concerning.” If Layton’s version is found to be incorrect, he will likely be fired, the mayor said.

“I would have a very big problem working alongside people who would be dishonest about something as important as this,” Whipple said.

Later Tuesday, Layton denied Ramsay’s version of events. He said he does not recall Ramsay ever notifying him of the case.

“I don’t want to just come out and say he’s a liar,” Layton said. “But I don’t recall that.”

Layton said Ramsay definitely did not keep him or his office informed about what was in the text messages or how officers were disciplined.

“Yeah, not true,” Layton said. “I can guarantee you that did not happen.”

Layton said he did not know about it until Feb. 25. He provided an email from City Attorney Jennifer Magana showing he was notified of concerns surrounding the case and officer discipline that morning, the day after members of the police Citizen Review Board voiced concerns about it.

Layton also told the City Council in an executive session that he didn’t learn about the case until last month.

“To say that I was disappointed in that would be an understatement,” Layton said of not being informed by Ramsay, after the City Council meeting.

The date matters because Layton was under questioning by the City Council about why the officers involved received little discipline and why the police department didn’t notify the district attorney’s office as required about a racist message until an hour after an Eagle reporter asked about it this month.

Whipple said the difference in the accounts raises additional concerns given that Ramsay was the chief of police for six years and the City Council relies on Layton to relay accurate information about the city’s business.

Whipple said he doesn’t know who to believe and that he’s reserving judgment until he gathers more information.

If Ramsay is not telling the truth, there’s nothing the city can do, Whipple said. If Layton did not tell the truth: “We would have an executive session with our one employee, and if it’s shown beyond doubt that we have been misled, that would likely result in a very negative response from the council.”

Ramsay, who left March 1 and is running for sheriff in St. Louis County, Minnesota, said Layton knew about it long before Feb. 25, the date that he claimed to the City Council and media on Tuesday.

“I told Layton about it soon after we learned about it” in April 2021, Ramsay said in a text. “Not every detail but an overview … told him last year.”

Ramsay said he also alerted the city’s human resources director, Chris Bezruki.

Whipple called Layton to speak in front of the City Council during a closed-door meeting Tuesday after The Eagle’s investigation published Monday, detailing how the case was handled and that little punishment was given to a white officer who sent a photoshopped image of the George Floyd with a naked Black man sitting on his head.

Layton called Tuesday for a third-party investigation to examine the city’s handling of the case and officer discipline.

“This was obviously a glitch — that’s not the right term. This was uncharacteristic and not what I expected based on our relationship and what I know of Gordon,” Layton said. “Obviously, I’m not happy about this incident in that it took me until February to know about it.”

Ramsay said he told Layton “shortly after we discovered it” and updated Layton or an assistant manager as they learned more.

The department’s handling of the case has led to an outcry from community members and elected officials.

Ramsay suggested a reporter contact Progessive Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Roosevelt DeShazer Sr.

DeShazer said Ramsay told the God Squad, a group of Black pastors that Ramsay helped form with a former city councilmember, last summer that racist messages had been sent by Wichita police and deputies.

“He has always been up front with us as far as the God Squad and the African American community to make sure that things like that, if it was to leak out into the community, that we would be made aware of it.”

Although he wasn’t shocked to hear that such messages were sent by officers, DeShazer said it was “very troubling” when he heard about the details of the messages reported in The Eagle.

DeShazer said he isn’t happy with the punishment Wichita officers received. He said the group and others will make sure this isn’t overlooked.

Wichita police investigators found unsavory messages when they searched the phone of Sgt. Justin Maxfield, a Sedgwick County deputy involved in a domestic violence case.

Eleven Wichita officers and three deputies were investigated because of what was found.

The messages included racist memes (one sent by Wichita officers and others sent by three deputies), homophobic and sexist comments by deputies, and officers from the SWAT team making light of shooting people.

Wichita police Sgt. Jamie Crouch sent the photo to Maxfield, according to a source. Crouch still works for the department, but left the SWAT team over the emotional stress surrounding the incident, interim chief Lem Moore said Tuesday.

Crouch wasn’t suspended.

The department policy he was punished under carried from a reprimand up to a three-day penalty on the first offense. A source said a reprimand is usually a piece of paper saying not to do it again.

Crouch sent the “image to lighten the situation and de-stress the SWAT team members,” according to a Citizen’s Review Board document obtained by The Eagle.

Moore said a Black friend showed the Floyd photo to Crouch. Crouch then shared the photo with Maxfield, records show.

Three Sedgwick County deputies who sent racist memes are no longer with the department.

This story was originally published March 22, 2022 at 5:23 PM.