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Resident asks for VIPS escort for Santa Bus; police and aldermen cite liability and permitting rules
Summary
At the Nov. 24 Grain Valley Board of Aldermen meeting, resident Chuck Johnston asked that a Volunteer in Police Service (VIPS) vehicle be allowed to escort the annual Santa Bus; Police Chief Ed Turner and the mayor said using a city vehicle raises liability and requires an operational safety plan and sufficient permit lead time. A motion to allow the VIPS vehicle without the chief’s recommended plan was not seconded.
Chuck Johnston, a Grain Valley resident who addressed the Board of Aldermen during the public‑comment period, asked the board to allow a Volunteer in Police Service (VIPS) vehicle to escort the community’s annual Santa Bus so children could be kept safe while boarding and leaving the vehicle.
"I thought everything was resolved last year and the City authorized an off‑duty police officer to escort the Santa Bus," Johnston said, adding he would pay fuel costs if the VIPS vehicle were permitted. He said the escort is about children’s safety and described past incidents in which volunteers were bitten by a dog.
Police Chief Ed Turner told the board the city had not denied use of a vehicle but that allowing a city‑owned vehicle to be used for the escort would be contingent on a safety plan. "If a VIPS trained officer can drive a VIPS car, they can also drive their own car with the same training," Turner said, and he recommended either following an operational safety plan or allowing a personal vehicle equipped with a magnetic light as an alternative.
Mayor Mike Todd and other officials emphasized the permit timeline and safety documentation needed for events. Todd said the city was trying to make the event safer and asked whether proof of insurance had been provided; Johnston replied he had not secured insurance and that his event historically involved driving the bus from house to house rather than a formal event site.
Alderman Rick Knox moved to allow the use of a VIPS vehicle without the plan recommended by Chief Turner, but the motion received no second and was not adopted. During the discussion Alderman Ryan Skinner said using a city vehicle could bring city liability, and Alderman Kyle Sole suggested allowing lights on a personal vehicle as a lower‑liability option. Alderman Brian Bray and others urged following operational procedures and the standard permit process, noting that short notice the prior year had contributed to the ad hoc arrangement.
The board did not take formal action to alter the permit requirements at the meeting and advised Mr. Johnston to work with Chief Turner to supply an operational plan and required insurance documentation before the next event.
The board proceeded to other agenda items after the public comment period.
