Wichita Police continue to focus on helping community members, keeping Wichita safe

The past year has been challenging for most of us, but it has been a particularly difficult year in policing.

Significant difficulties from the pandemic, polarization, and lack of civility and kindness seem to be the pervading theme, which makes keeping peace, finding common ground and addressing societal issues a difficult task. Too many of our most serious societal failures fall on the shoulders of police. Mental health, chemical dependency and homelessness are just a few social problems that overly rely on police when they should be handled by treatment centers, family resource case workers and mental health professionals. Disinvestment in poor and disadvantaged neighborhoods has also placed police in an untenable role.

I have attended six community meetings and a number of worships in recent weeks to listen and talk with residents. It was refreshing to hear from everyone and see old friends other than on a Zoom. There is no substitute for meeting a person, face to face, to discuss critical issues.

Despite mounting challenges, we continue to focus on building relationships, helping community members and keeping Wichita safe. Last year we began the innovative “lights on program” for police to issue a voucher for vehicle light repair to be fixed at no cost instead of issuing a potentially costly ticket.

When it comes to use of force, a false narrative has gained a foothold that is leading many to believe police are using force during most interactions. This could not be further from the truth. In Wichita we have hundreds of thousands of interactions every year and use of force is rarely used. Research by one police reform group found Wichita Police showed no anti-black disparities in police deadly force — and we were one of only three of the 50 largest cities in America that fell in this category.

The WPD has been ahead of the nation on efforts to reduce the use of force by police. We have been training on de-escalation tactics long before the events of last year and have focused on the need to create time, distance and effective communication in an effort to peacefully resolve volatile incidents.

We have quadrupled the number of crisis negotiators and added equipment for our staff to use in dangerous situations such as the bola wrap, which is a handheld device that fires a cord that wraps around a person’s arms or legs from a distance, and other less-than-lethal equipment so officers have an option other than to use their gun.

In relation to community concern involving the use of choke holds, the WPD had never taught or allowed choke holds unless it was in a life or death struggle — and now it is codified in policy. For the past few years we have been training on the concept of “duty to intervene,” which requires officers to not only step in when they see an officer engaging in inappropriate conduct, but it also imposes a punishment if an officer does not intervene. We also require officers to exhaust all alternatives before using force.

When I work the street I see police call after police call where officers are patient, kind and helpful to victims, suspects and witnesses. I frequently see officers’ patience tested to beyond points where most people would be able to tolerate it.

It is critical for policing to retain good officers and continue to recruit the best and brightest. In the last few years we have broken historical records on the number of women and minorities hired. We need your help to encourage the best in our communities to join policing, because when you or your loved ones call 911 and are in need of help, you want the very best to be there to help. I am worried that if we continue to villainize all police officers, we will lose good officers and will no longer get the best to join us.

We are dedicated to continuous improvement and doing our best to serve you.