Use of Force Reporting


We are committed to transparency and holding ourselves accountable for treating all individuals with respect and dignity. We do this by sharing information on our community interactions, including summaries of departmental uses of force. We also encourage community members to share feedback, both compliments and complaints.

Below are use of force summaries for each year since 2015, along with our departmental Use of Force policy. Gender and race of the individuals and officers involved in each incident are noted in parentheses.

Use of Force Summaries

February - Officers located the subject vehicle of an attempt to locate issued by another agency. Officers followed the vehicle, which then struck an occupied patrol vehicle from that agency. Officers drew their handguns and issued commands. The driver surrendered and was placed under arrest. (W/M 27) (Officers - 3 W/M)

January –  Officers made contact with a trespassing subject.  Officers asked the subject to leave the area and they refused.  Subject was told they were under arrest and the subject resisted arrest.  CEW was displayed while subject was placed under arrest by other officer. CEW was not deployed.  (W/M, 38) (Officers - W/F W/M)

September - Officers made contact with a subject suffering a mental health crisis. A mental health team responded and made contact. It was determined that an involuntary screening was necessary. The subject resisted and was subsequently handcuffed by officers. The subject was transported to the Treatment and Recovery Center. (W/F, 36) (Officers - 3 W/M)

September - Officers made contact with a subject suffering a mental health crisis. The subject became verbally and physically aggressive. Officers handcuffed and later had to restrain the subject, who was causing himself physical harm. The subject received medical treatment and was transported by ambulance for an involuntary screening. (W/M 42) (Officers - B/M 6 W/M)

September - Officer made contact with a subject who was in the process of committing a theft. The subject fled. CEW was displayed, and the subject surrendered. Subject was placed under arrest once back-up arrived. (B/M 32) (Officers - 2 W/M)

October - Officers responded to a battery that had just occurred. The subject fled and was tackled by a civilian bystander. The subject resisted arrest and was handcuffed. (W/M 24) (Officers - 2 W/M)

 

 

 

February – Officers made contact with a man who was threatening KU staff members.  The man was upset about being asked to leave the building after being found in an area that was not for public use.  The man was uncooperative and resisted arrest.  The man was taken to the ground and arrested. (W/M 36) (Officers – 2 W/M)

April – Officers were working a large crowd event in downtown Lawrence, Kansas.  A man was found very upset and appeared intoxicated.  The man made several threats towards officers.  The officers tried to speak with the man in the middle of a crowded sidewalk.  The man started pushing and shoving officers as they attempted to get him away from the crowded area.  The man had a gun on him and officers placed the man on the ground and he was taken into custody.  (W/M 22) (Officers –  2 W/M)

August – Officers assisted taking a man into custody who was attempting to run from Lawrence Police Officers for possessing alcohol under 21 years of age.  The man was pepper sprayed by a Lawrence Police Officer while he was resisting arrest.  Officers took the man to the ground and he was arrested.  (W/M 19) (Officers – 2 W/M)

September – Officers made contact with a man in regards to a follow-up investigation in conjunction with a civil standby.  The man was not cooperative and resisted being arrested.  The man was taken to the ground and arrested. (B/M, 22) (Officers – 2W/M)

October – Officers were working a KU Football game.  Officers were contacted by security at the football to remove a subject whom was not following the bag policy.  Subject refused to follow the policy and was asked to leave the game.  Subject refused and when officers attempted to place the individual under arrest they resisted and were taken to the ground.  (A/F 37) (Officers –  H/M, W/M)

December – Officers made contact with a subject who was threatening suicide.  The subject wanted officers to shoot him and at one point reached for an officers’ gun.  The man was taken to the ground and taken into custody for a mental health evaluation. (B/M, 18) (Officers – 2 W/M)

April – An officer pointed a Taser at a person who was resisting arrest and was known to be carrying a knife. Other officers were able to place the person into custody. (W/M 37) (Officer – W/M)

July – Officers made contact with a distraught man who wanted officers to shoot and kill him.  The man kept his hand behind his back and told officers he had a gun.   An officer fired a Taser at the man who was then transported to the hospital for a mental health evaluation.  (W/M 31) (Officer – W/M)

November - Officers made contact with fleeing suspect attempting to exit stadium.  Two officers displayed their CEWs. The CEWs were not used. (W/M 18) (Officers - B/M, H/F)

February – An officer assisted the Lawrence Police in responding to a report of a person armed with a rifle. The officer provided cover with a rifle while LPD officers removed the occupants from the car. (B/M 18, B/M 18, W/M 18) (Officer – W/F)

March – A suspect in a criminal trespass of a building attempted to walk away from officers. The person admitted to having a knife in a pocket. One officer pointed a Taser at the person while other officers applied handcuffs. (W/M 30) (Officers - 2 W/M, WHF)

June – An officer found himself at the end of a vehicular pursuit in which the driver of the suspect vehicle got out and began firing a gun at pursuing officers, who fired back. The suspect, who was wanted for homicide in another state, pointed a gun at the KU officer who fired his handgun at the suspect. Medical aid was provided immediately but the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. (W/M 31) (Officer – W/M)

December – Officers assisted a Douglas County Sheriff’s deputy who had stopped a vehicle that had just left a party where shots were fired. Officers provided cover with handguns while the occupant was removed from the car. (B/M unknown age) (Officers – 2 W/M)

 

December – A suspect in a bike theft ran from an officer. After the suspect fell while running, the officer drew a Taser and ordered the suspect to stay on the ground. Another officer arrived and applied handcuffs. (W/M 27) (Officer – W/M)

December – A suspect in a criminal trespass of a building was ordered by an officer to stop. The officer saw the person had a metal tool in a pocket. The person reached for the tool and the officer drew a Taser and ordered the person to the ground. The person eventually complied and other officers applied handcuffs. (W/M 28) (Officer – W/F)

 

February – An officer assisted the Lawrence Police with the arrest of an aggravated burglary suspect. The suspect had run from officers on foot and entered an occupied apartment to hide. The officer ordered the suspect out of a closet at gunpoint and the suspect was arrested. (W/M 19) (Officer - W/M)

March – An officer assisted the Kansas Highway Patrol in stopping a car driven by a suspect of a shooting in Lawrence. The officer provided cover by handgun while the suspect was removed from the car. (B/M 25) (Officer – W/M)

April – An officer chased a person on foot following a leaving the scene accident. The officer caught up to the person and pointed a Taser at the person until another officer could arrive to apply handcuffs. (B/M 19) (Officer - W/M)

July – An officer saw three people beating another person on the ground in a parking lot just off campus. The officer pointed a Taser at the group and ordered them to stop and get on the ground. One person ran away and two others were handcuffed when other officers arrived. (2 W/M, B/M) (Officer - W/M)

September – Two officers approached two people fighting. One officer drew a Taser and ordered the people to stop and get on the ground. One person complied but the other began advancing on the officers. The other officer tackled the non-compliant person and applied handcuffs. (W/M 20, W/M 51) (Officers - 2 W/M)

September – The suspect in a battery of a police officer resisted arrest and then ran from officers. One officer fired a Taser at the suspect, but it was ineffective. The person was found in the area by another officer and was arrested. (W/M 28) (Officer - W/M)

 

January – A person fled from Lawrence Memorial Hospital while there for a mental health screening. The person was found, and then advanced on the officer and would not stop. The person was held at gunpoint, placed in handcuffs by another officer and returned to the hospital. (W/M 28) (Officers - W/F, W/M)

February – Officers drew their handguns while searching an apartment for a suicidal person who was reported to have a gun. The person was found and held at gunpoint until other officers could apply handcuffs. (W/H/M 32) (Officers - W/M, W/F)

August – Officers drew their handguns during a high-risk car stop following a leaving the scene accident and vehicle chase. The occupant was safely removed from the vehicle and arrested. (W/M 23) (Officers - 3 W/M, 1 W/F)

May – An officer assisted the Lawrence Police Department at the end of a vehicle pursuit by providing cover with a handgun while the occupants of the vehicle were removed. (W/M 19, B/M 19) (Officer - W/M)

February - An officer was involved in a traffic stop that changed into a vehicle pursuit. After the car stopped, officers drew their handguns as the occupant was safely removed from the car. (W/M 24) (Officers - W/F, W/M)

June - Officers made contact with a driver during a traffic stop following concerns raised by people about the driver’s mental health. The officers noticed weapons present in the vehicle. Officers drew their weapons as the driver was ordered to exit the vehicle. (W/M 65) (Officers - W/F, B/M, 2 W/M)