Anthony Brixius News Today

Several concerned citizens gathered at the Lawrence City Commission meeting on Tuesday, expressing outrage that the proposed city budget would cut funds for Prairie Park Nature Center and the Lawrence

A Lawrence Police Department vehicle is seen in this file photo from September 2018. Instances of use of force by the Lawrence Police Department slightly increased in 2020 compared with previous years, according to the department’s recently published annual report. LPD listed 20 instances of use of force in 2020, which is slightly above a recent average of 17 instances per year. The police department received more than 60,000 calls in 2020, meaning the use of force occurred roughly 0.03% of t...

photo by: Dylan Lysen/Lawrence Journal-World Lawrence Police Departments Interim Chief Anthony Brixius is pictured in his office on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021, in front of a screen showing a new software system, Blue Team and IA Pro, the police department is using to track complaints against officers and their use of force. In the near future, if a Lawrence police officer uses a taser, firearm or other form of force a during a certain period of time — such as three times in six months — the La...

The Lawrence Police Departments headquarters at 5100 Overland Drive is pictured Jan. 11, 2021. The outside consultant the City of Lawrence hired to study its police department has been gathering input from city and police leaders — and will soon be gathering it from the public. And that feedback could help inform changes to police duties and shape the city’s search for a new police chief. In the wake of national and local calls for police reform and protests against police killings of Blac...

Kansas officer accused of injuring skateboarder resigns Follow Us Question of the Day By - Associated Press - Saturday, January 16, 2021 LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - An Lawrence police officer who has been accused of fracturing a skateboarder’s elbow during an arrest has resigned. The Lawrence Journal World reports that Brad Williams’ resignation took effect Jan. 6. Police spokesperson Patrick Compton did not indi...

photo by: Contributed Photos These still frame images from surveillance video at the Jayhawk Cafe around midnight Feb. 4, 2018, show an interaction between Jameson OConnor and former Lawrence police officers Brian Wonderly and Brad Williams. Both officers were accused of untruthfulness in their reports and testimony in the 2018 Lawrence Municipal Court case in which the judge found OConnor not guilty of interference with law enforcement, and a Douglas County District Court case was dismissed in...

Staff Report photo by: Orlin Wagner Big Jay shows off his face mask during the Jayhawks football game against Oklahoma State on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020 at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. 2020 will always be remembered as the year of the coronavirus pandemic, which, to date, has infected nearly 20 million Americans and killed more than 340,000, including more than 2,500 Kansans. It will be the story of 2021 as well, and for many of us, the story of our lifetimes. The deadly virus not only ...

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World File Photo Lawrence Police Department vehicles are pictured during the University of Kansas Homecoming Parade in this file photo from Sept. 27, 2018. Story updated at 5:10 p.m. Tuesday: The Lawrence Police Department is rolling out its Special Victims Unit, or SVU, that will focus primarily on cases of physical abuse — specifically, crimes against children, crimes of a sexual nature and domestic violence, according to a news release. “LKPD has delibera...

Police announce new Special Victims Unit to tackle physical abuse, sex crimes and crimes against children LKPD says it has focused on the development of the SVU for over a year. It says the addition is part of the department’s commitment to a survivor-focused philosophy. The primary focus of the SVU will be cases involving physical abuse such as crimes against children, crimes of a sexual nature, and those involving domestic violence. The LKPD says it will incorporate trauma-informed best pra...

photo by: Mike Yoder Capt. Anthony Brixius, interim Lawrence police chief, left, speaks during an opening ceremony for the departments new headquarters at 5100 Overland Drive, Monday, Dec. 21, 2020. Wearing dress uniforms complete with white gloves, Lawrence police department command staff unfolded the U.S. flag and sent it slowly up the flagpole in front of the department’s new headquarters Monday, officially marking the building’s opening. In the crowd gathered along the road in front of...