Audit urges Independence police to stop chasing nonviolent offenders | Opinion

Independence police, it’s 2026 and you are still chasing drivers over the most minute violations. Even your own external audit says so. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: You need to cool it.

The agency’s policy that allows an officer to chase after a fleeing driver for minor traffic violations and other nonviolent offenses continues to put the public at risk.

Over the years, we’ve called on Independence police to end their pursuit of nonviolent offenders. In 2022, a Kansas City Star analysis found Independence police engaged in 330 car chases, more than any other department in the metropolitan area that year. That’s almost one chase per day.

In light of two recent high-speed chases and the findings of an external audit of the department’s policies and performance, we repeat that same call today: Independence police should follow the standard set by other area law enforcement agencies and prohibit chases that begin over low-level offenses.

Just recently, a hot pursuit that began in Independence ended in a fatality crash in Kansas City. The deadly New Year’s Eve wreck that began in a neighboring city was not how we wanted to end the year here.

During the pursuit, 47-year-old Daniel Perez Sanchez was killed and two others were seriously injured. None were involved in the chase. Four days later, a driver fleeing Independence police reached speeds of 114 mph before he eventually surrendered there. Thank goodness no one was hurt in that pursuit.

But it’s fair to question if the Kansas City man’s arrest for felony fleeing — the suspect’s only offense — was worth putting more lives in danger?

Absolutely not.

There is no question, bad guys who flee aren’t given a free pass here. Criminal suspects run for many reasons including fear of arrest or worse. But officers bear a great deal of responsibility to keep the public safe.

Most of us could agree that policing is a tough, demanding job. However, until the Independence Police Department implements immediate changes to its pursuit policy, the lives of innocent bystanders in both cities will continue to be in jeopardy.

Third acting police chief in less than a year

Last year, the city of Independence paid an auditing firm known as Legal and Liability Risk Management Institute $25,000 to assess the police department’s policies and performance.

We recently requested a copy of the final report on the audit’s findings. Within days, the request was fulfilled. On Tuesday, we asked Rebecca Gannon, a spokeswoman for Independence, if the city planned to post the report online. In a statement, Gannon said because the risk assessment is viewed as an internal document, the public must make a records request for a copy through the City Clerk's office.

“And we'll periodically update the public as IPD enacts its changes,” she wrote.

For the sake of better transparency, we urge city officials to make the report easily accessible to the public via its website.

Several policy issues raised in the report caught our attention, but the hard look into vehicle pursuits stood out as did findings related to use-of-force incidents and the agency’s chain or command response to such incidents.

The department is currently led by interim Police Chief Douglas Brinkley, the third person to lead IPD in less than a year. The revelation of a leadership void in high leverage encounters with criminal suspects wasn’t all that surprising.

The audit also uncovered lax handling of evidence — a locker that stored drugs confiscated by police was left unlocked and accessible to anyone in the department.

Of the many recommendations made by the firm, none has been implemented as of this week, according to Brinkley. But possible changes were forthcoming, Brinkley said in a statement sent to us this week.

In his nearly 30 years of experience in law enforcement and city government, Brinkley has implemented five similar assessment recommendations, the statement read.

“This assessment provided valuable insight into areas where we are performing well and areas where we can improve,” Brinkley said. “We appreciate the thoroughness of the review and the professionalism of the assessors. Most importantly, we are committed to acting on these recommendations to strengthen our department and better serve our community.”

According to Brinkley, he plans to implement changes in four timed phases — those timelines range from 90 days to 18 months, he said.

“We have to do the work,” Brinkley said. “Some of these changes are as simple as a policy update. But much of this is complicated. Changes to long-held systems do not happen in a matter of days.”

On Brinkley’s latter point, we agree. But an immediate department-wide stay of police pursuits involving low-level violations would be a great start.

Also of note: Brinkley said he is currently finalizing changes in training, security and the organizational structure for property and evidence management, which was encouraging. Employees having easy access to narcotics and other evidence is ripe for corruption and abuse, as noted in the assessment report.

Brinkley added that IPD employee-led committees continue to be formed to address other areas of concerns the assessment uncovered.

“We must have employee input and engagement, as it is key to adoption and success,” Brinkley said. “This risk assessment means nothing if we can’t create real and lasting change for IPD and the community we proudly protect and serve.”

Former councilman Jason White speaks out

At Monday’s council meeting in Independence, former Councilman Jason White called for much-needed change to the police department’s vehicle pursuit policy.

“Why do we accept speeding vehicles?” White said in reference to high-speed pursuits. “Time’s come for change. We can get there.”

White is correct: There is a pressing order of business regarding these chases, many of which originate over trivial matters, the risk assessment report found.

The audit studied 10 police pursuits over an 11-day period starting July 27, in addition to use-of-force incidents and foot pursuits among other things. The inquiry determined many of the department’s high-speed chases began over minor offenses such as bad plates or inoperable license plate bulbs.

“Several of the pursuits we reviewed were initiated as the result of minor traffic violations yet continued for several minutes, with some ultimately reaching maximum speeds over 100 mph,” the report reads.

Because of the dangers associated with these reckless pursuits, we urge Independence police to step off the gas pedal and scrap their current policy.

This story was originally published January 7, 2026 at 5:08 AM.