Overland Park officers remain on leave as criminal probe of police charity continues
Members of the Overland Park Police Department remain on paid administration leave months after an investigation into criminal allegations came to light concerning a nonprofit foundation affiliated with the local Fraternal Order of Police, a city spokeswoman said.
“The Overland Park Police Department officers involved continue to be on administrative leave, with pay, pending the outcome of that investigation,” Meg Ralph, the city’s communications and media relations manager, said in an email. “The City will consider next steps upon the conclusion of the outside agency’s investigation.”
The city cannot confirm the names or positions of anyone involved in the investigation, she said.
The Johnson County District Attorney’s Office declined to comment because the case is still under investigation, said Melody Webb, a spokeswoman for the office.
Likewise, Dianna Johnson, president of the Overland Park Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 21, said that she was unable to comment until the district attorney’s investigation is complete.
The investigation, which came to light in May, stems from the finding of an audit of the Overland Park Police Officers Foundation that was reported to FOP members that month.
“Due to the audit findings, and because the prior directors are police officers, it is our duty to turn over these findings to law enforcement for investigation,” Johnson said in the statement at the time.
Johnson also said that the actions a few members do not represent the majority of law enforcement professionals at the police department.
Questions about disbursement of funds and overall spending were first brought to the foundation’s director in early 2021. Earlier this year, new directors took over control of the foundation and began reviewing financial records, prompting the hiring of a forensic accountant to take a deeper looking into the matter.
The foundation is a charity aimed at helping law enforcement officers and their families when an officer is seriously hurt or killed. It also provides support for educational opportunities, according to tax papers filed with the IRS.
