‘Appalled’: Former Lawrence Police Department officer charged with rape, other crimes
A former officer with the Lawrence Police Department has been arrested in connection with rape and several other crimes after a woman came forward alleging the officer sexually assaulted her while on duty.
Agents with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation arrested 41-year-old Jonathan Gardner, of Tonganoxie, on Friday, according to Melissa Underwood, a spokeswoman for the KBI.
Gardner is charged with one count of rape, 12 counts of unlawful acts concerning computers and 12 counts of official misconduct. He was booked into the Leavenworth County Jail Friday morning, and released in the afternoon after posting a $50,000 bond, according to jail records.
The KBI was contacted by the Lawrence Police Department on Nov. 1 after a woman alleged she had been sexually assaulted by Gardner while he was on duty on Jan. 1, 2017.
Gardner was placed on administrative leave before his next shift, the Lawrence Police Department said.
As the KBI conducted its criminal investigation, Lawrence police initiated an investigation and found Gardner had allegedly committed policy violations and misconduct. His employment ended.
Gardner is accused of running unauthorized searches in the Kansas Criminal Justice Information System and internal police department public safety systems between 2017 and 2020.
Lawrence Police Chief Rich Lockhart said he was “appalled by the alleged conduct of Gardner.”
“Those alleged actions are not consistent with the values of the department and, if true, Gardner violated the trust of the community he was sworn to serve.”
Lockhart continued, “Most importantly, I would like to extend my appreciation to the community member who possessed the courage and bravery to come forward and report this allegation to our agency.”
