Residents press council on police investigations and pending claims; council holds personnel and litigation executive sessions
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Summary
Several residents urged the council to resolve long-running claims connected to officer-involved deaths and criticized investigative practices; later in the meeting the council recessed twice into executive session—first for personnel matters, then for privileged legal discussions about current litigation—and took no action on either session.
Multiple residents and family members addressed the council during public comment, urging transparency, accountability and financial remedies related to several officer-involved deaths and a related employment case.
Sandra Lassiter urged the council to act "to serve justice for some injustices," and called on members to show empathy for families seeking answers. Several other speakers, including Deborah Saab and Demavrius Duncan (who identified herself as the mother of Taylor Lowery—s daughter), called for the city to resolve claims and provide information about investigations. Amber Levin, identified as Dylan Balstrom's sister, and Danielle Pfundo, who cited a recent U.S. District Court decision, urged the council to address alleged investigatory failures and retaliatory practices.
Danielle Pfundo referenced the federal court summary of an employment case and told the council the judge found aspects of the department—s handling of an internal investigation indicated retaliatory conduct and false statements by commanders. "This is reality. False information, retaliatory investigations, no accountability," Pfundo said in public comment.
After public comment, the council recessed into two executive sessions. The first, authorized under KSA 75-4319(b)(1), addressed personnel matters involving individual employees and included the city manager and human-resources director; the council took no action on return. The council then recessed into a second, longer executive session under KSA 75-4319(b)(2) to receive legal advice and discuss matters in litigation; the body extended that session once and again returned with no action taken before adjourning.
The meeting record shows the council heard public concerns and followed the statutory process for closed deliberations on personnel and litigation, but it did not produce a public decision or settlement during the session.
