‘It’s game on’: KCPD union president crossed the line. Did he compromise criminal case?

A Kansas City tow truck operator facing felony charges of forgery may escape prosecution because of the actions of Brad Lemon, president of the Kansas City Fraternal Order of Police.

Lemon has some serious explaining to do. And his alleged improper involvement with the tow truck operator, Allen Bloodworth, must be fully investigated.

In 2019, authorities charged Bloodworth with 31 felony counts of forgery for allegedly towing vehicles illegally. There is evidence, authorities say, that Bloodworth improperly towed dozens of vehicles from private property, and forged required paperwork.

“Detectives said Bloodworth has been engaged in deceptive and illegal business practices for years through his Private Party Impound business,” the department said when the charges were announced.

Bloodworth pleaded not guilty.

During their pre-trial investigation of Bloodworth, Jackson County prosecutors learned of a private dispute between the tow truck operator and Lemon in 2019. Bloodworth had towed a vehicle driven by a member of Lemon’s family, and the tow operator was holding it.

Lemon wanted the car back, but the paperwork was incomplete.

In a brief phone conversation between the two — captured on audio tape — Lemon informed Bloodworth that he is president of the Fraternal Order of Police.

Bloodworth offered Lemon a way to retrieve the car, but it wasn’t good enough for the police officer, according to a transcript of the call released Tuesday.

“So didn’t we investigate you at property crimes a couple of years ago for felonies, for doing stuff like this?” Lemon asked Bloodworth.

Moments later: “It’s game on,” Lemon said. “We’ll start the same routine with you then … I guarantee I’m going to talk to (unintelligible).”

Prosecutors believe Lemon’s implied threat, and the existence of the audio tape, have severely compromised the legal case against the tow truck driver. On Tuesday, the prosecutor’s office moved to dismiss the forgery charges.

Lemon’s interaction with Bloodworth appears highly improper and unacceptable. Resorting to the “do-you-know-who-I-am” tactic is always a lousy idea, but it’s particularly outrageous for a police officer to use it. And it’s even more concerning when that officer is the head of the police union.

The phone conversation could corrupt a two-year case against a tow truck driver accused of multiple felonies. Let that sink in for a moment.

The Kansas City Police Department should investigate Lemon’s involvement with Bloodworth. If the facts show the FOP president acted corruptly, he should be dismissed from the force.

On Tuesday, Mayor Quinton Lucas also called for an investigation of the incident. “No threats should be made to anyone based on a private dispute,” he said. “It should be dealt with.”

Sadly, we’re not convinced the police department can be trusted to appropriately handle the investigation. At every opportunity, Police Chief Rick Smith has shown he’s more interested in protecting officers and the police union than rooting out misconduct in his ranks.

That means the Board of Police Commissioners should engage an independent, outside investigator to examine the facts in this incident. The outside investigator should provide a public report regarding Lemon’s actions and provide a recommendation for the board and prosecutors.

If Lemon has broken any laws, he should be prosecuted. If he has violated department policy, he should be fired. The allegations also raise serious questions about whether Lemon should remain in his leadership position with the Fraternal Order of Police.

Darryl Forté said Brad Lemon violated police policy

There are other potential concerns. In April 2017, according to internal affairs documents, then-Police Chief Darryl Forté concluded that Lemon had violated department policy, misled investigators, and provided inconsistent statements in a case involving a criminal suspect named Thomas Simmons.

At issue were reports Lemon self-approved in a burglary investigation. The suspect said he was misidentified in the reports, although he later pleaded guilty to the crime — to avoid a long sentence, he said.

Concerns were also raised about an alleged relationship between Lemon and a prosecutor in the Simmons case.

Lemon has denied any improper behavior. Nevertheless, these claims need a full review as well.

The vast majority of Kansas City police officers are hard-working men and women committed to doing their jobs well. But those officers also know who the bad apples are. The department must work harder to root out officers whose actions stain the entire police force.

A tow truck operator facing 31 felony counts may be let off the hook because Brad Lemon wanted a personal car back. That’s wrong, and Lemon should be held to account.

This story was originally published December 22, 2020 at 1:16 PM.