Changes coming to Independence policing with new interim chief, external audit
After years of turbulent leadership changes and several weeks under the guidance of a temporary police chief, the city of Independence is taking steps that leaders hope will boost residents’ trust in its police department. It has hired an interim chief from out of state and ordered an external audit of the agency.
Douglas Brinkley, a former Texas police chief and city manager, was named interim police chief late Tuesday afternoon. Brinkley will start with IPD on Monday, Sept. 29, according to the city.
Brinkley joins IPD after more than 30 years in law enforcement, including 20 years in leadership positions or managerial roles, according to a Tuesday news release from the city of Independence.
In the release, Brinkley described the interim role as a “bridge into a new leadership chapter” for Independence police and said he aims “to support and prepare them for the next long-term leader.”
Brinkley, a graduate of the FBI National Academy, began his career as a police officer in Detroit before working as a police lieutenant in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Most recently, Brinkley worked in Sugar Land, Texas, where he served as assistant police chief from 2005 to 2009, then police chief until June 2018.
After earning a doctorate in executive leadership in 2019, Brinkley switched tracks during his last five years in Sugar Land to serve as assistant city manager until September 2023, according to the city of Independence and his LinkedIn profile.
Brinkley’s appointment is the result of a nationwide search that Independence launched in August, conducted by Strategic Government Resources, a national firm dedicated to recruiting for open roles in local governments and law enforcement departments.
Former IPD chief Adam Dustman resigned from the department abruptly on August 15 after nearly three months of leave. The city declined to provide a formal reason for his resignation, but KMBC reported that before Dustman’s resignation, IPD had opened an internal investigation into his conduct. He was also facing several lawsuits filed by current and former department employees.
Dustman replaced former Police Chief Brad Halsey, who retired in December 2021 amid internal issues. Dustman is in the process of transitioning into another position with the city, according to internal communications obtained by The Star.
IPD credited Dustman with leading the department through a period of progress and modernization, including updating some facilities and securing funding for new equipment.
Meanwhile, IPD officer Jason Peterson has led the department in a temporary capacity as deputy chief since Dustman’s exit.
Audits and exits
Brinkley’s time as interim chief will coincide with the beginning of a department audit and inspection ordered by the city and conducted by an unaffiliated third party organization.
The 90-day process will include a series of interviews with department leaders and officers, along with ride-alongs with officers in order to review and assess their daily interactions with residents, according to the city.
The audit has been outsourced to the Law Enforcement Risk Management Group, Legal and Liability Risk Management Institute, a national risk management group based in Indiana.
Independence city manager Zach Walker – who will leave the city in October to work as city manager in Bloomington, Minnesota – called the audit “imperative” to the future of the department.
“The citizens of Independence must know they can trust our officers,” Walker said in a Tuesday news release. “The brave men and women who risk their lives every day also deserve the absolute best working environment and support the City can provide them.”
IPD currently employs more than 330 people, including 230 officers, according to Brinkley.
