Former Independence police chief still getting paid after resigning. Here’s how much
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Payroll records show former Chief Adam Dustman has received at least $82,848.
- Payroll records label Dustman’s post-resignation payments as severance.
- Multiple lawsuits allege Dustman and city leaders interfered with investigations.
Former Independence Police Chief Adam Dustman has received at least $82,848.80 from the city since resigning last year, according to newly obtained payroll records.
The new payroll records, obtained through a Missouri Sunshine Law request, show Dustman is still receiving paychecks labeled as severance as part of a resignation agreement city officials have yet to disclose publicly. Those payments have run from early August 2025, when Dustman resigned, to May 16.
Dustman resigned after spending months on self-requested leave. City officials have not shared publicly the circumstances surrounding his resignation, and the agreement governing his departure has remained secret.
The Star sued the city earlier this year after officials refused to release Dustman’s separation agreement and related records. The Star had filed a records request seeking the agreement on April 2 but did not receive a direct denial to the request.
It remains unclear how much Dustman will receive under the agreement or how long the payments will continue. City officials previously said the total amount depends on several “undetermined factors” and that a final figure could not be provided.
One of several lawsuits filed by Independence police officers this year offers some of the only public insight into the agreement between the city and Dustman.
In the lawsuit, Maj. Mike Onka, a 25-year veteran officer, alleges that former City Manager Zach Walker agreed with Dustman, “in order to attempt to conceal information known by the Chief of Police which implicated the City Manager in the mismanagement of the Police Department by the Chief of Police.”
The lawsuit also alleges that, under the agreement, Dustman “can still take action” against the Police Department employees.
“As a result of this arrangement, the discriminatory and retaliatory conduct of the Chief of Police has not been properly addressed,” according to the filing. “As a result, the Chief remains in a position to influence policy related to the operation of the City and specifically the Police Department.”
Onka provided information to the investigation that said he believed Dustman had violated Rupert-Marriott’s rights under the Police Officers Bill of Rights, according to the filing. Rupert-Marriott filed a lawsuit against the city earlier this year as well.
After participating in the investigation, Onka alleged that Dustman began withholding important information from command staff members who had criticized him or questioned department decisions.
The lawsuit further alleged the department became fractured and dysfunctional as officers who opposed Dustman were excluded from decision-making and communication.
Other lawsuits allege drinking and driving
Another lawsuit filed by Capt. Billy Pope alleges city leaders and senior police officials interfered with investigations involving department command staff and retaliated against him when he raised concerns.
Among the allegations, Pope claims the department maintained no internal affairs records involving a September 2024 incident in which Dustman allegedly crashed a city-issued vehicle into two mailboxes while intoxicated.
The lawsuit also alleges officials interfered with investigations involving Deputy Chiefs Jason Petersen and Michelle Sumstad after allegations they consumed alcohol before driving city-issued vehicles.
Rupert-Marriott’s lawsuit also claimed that Dustman had shown up to the scene of an officer-involved shooting and admitted to having consumed alcohol.
“He admitted to command staff Major McVay, Deputy Chief Sumstad, Officer Jack Taylor and myself, to have been drinking after the odor of alcohol was noticed from his person,” the lawsuit said. “Offers to drive him and his department-issued vehicle home were denied by Adam Dustman, who chose to leave the scene driving himself.”
More recently, Rupert-Marriott’s husband, Justin Marriott, also filed a lawsuit against the city, again claiming that Sumstad had consumed alcohol and used her city-issued vehicle afterwards.
This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 1:22 PM.
