Press Releases

The City of Topeka has announced the four finalists for the Topeka police chief position.

(Simon Happer withdrew his application on 11/04/24) W. Simon Happer currently serves as the deputy police chief for the Overland Park Police Department in Overland Park, Kansas. Lieutenant Colonel Happer has 34 years of law enforcement experience and 19 years of senior police leadership including serving as the interim police chief for the Overland Park Police Department. Happer received his Master of Public Administration from the University of Kansas. Happer has worked with his command staff to develop new strategies to address staffing issues including several proposals which focus on retention of current employees, recruitment of candidates from colleges, the military and high schools, as well as our commitment to the 30 by 30 campaign. Happer says he hopes to reduce crime rates, increase traffic safety and improve morale, while building trust with a diverse population hungry for transparency and collaboration.

Russ Klumpp currently serves as a Major for the Topeka Police Department. Klumpp has 19 years of leadership and executive experience. He works in the Criminal Investigations and Field Operation units. Klumpp was appointed by Governor Laura Kelly as a member of the Kansas 988 committee to help reduce suicide rates. He received his Ph.D. in social psychology from Walden University. Klumpp says he plans to emphasize strong community relationships, a commitment to meaningful and open communication, police department accountability, improved care and procedural integrity for employees, advancements in the provision of police services, and increasing officer morale.

(Jose Salcido withdrew his application on 10/31/24) Jose Salcido has more than 27 years of law enforcement experience, most recently serving as the Director of Campus Security at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas. Salcido holds a Master of Military Arts and Sciences from the United States Air Force Air Academy and has a human resources certification. Salcido served in the United States Air Force for 25 years before retiring as a Major. During his time with the Wichita Police Department (WPD), he led a department of investigators overseeing all criminal investigations and helped to develop various crime prevention strategies in partnership with the community.

Chris Vallejo has 30 years of experience in law enforcement, having served in various roles during his tenure with the Austin Texas Police Department (APD). Vallejo holds a Master of Criminal Justice from Texas State University. During his time as Commander in Training at the APD, Vallejo helped to develop inclusive and diverse training programs and implemented recruitment strategies that resulted in the most diverse cadet class in APD history. He also pioneered the creation of a Chief Data Officer position that aimed to integrate community-based initiatives to foster to trust and collaboration between the APD, elected officials and the community. Vallejo currently serves as a National Policing Institute Executive Fellow, regularly collaborating with Police Chiefs nationwide and advising on strategies to
address evolving challenges in U.S. law enforcement.

To give residents an opportunity to meet the finalists, the city will host a public meet and greet on Wednesday, November 6, at Hotel Topeka, located at 1717 SW Topeka Blvd. The event will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will provide community members the chance to interact with the candidates and ask questions.

Following the public event, there will be a special meeting of the Governing Body at 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 7, to discuss the police chief candidates, with the goal of selecting the next leader of the Topeka Police Department. They will meet in executive session

12/13 Update

If you are concerned about the exposure of your credit or debit card information, please access www.IC3.gov to file a complaint. The Internet Crime Complaint Center or IC3 accepts online Internet crime complaints.

In order to file a complaint on IC3, you will need personal information, including your address, telephone, and email. You will also need financial transaction information, specific details on how you were victimized and any other relevant information that you believe is necessary to support your complaint.

When filling out a complaint with IC3, please be sure to include Click-2-Gov in the description part of the incident form. The City of Topeka is cooperating with the FBI and your input and information are valuable to support cooperation efforts.

Original Post

On the afternoon of December 7th, the City of Topeka was notified by our Utility Billing Payment System software vendor Central Square that the City of Topeka has been a potential victim cyber-attack. This potential data breach has not been confirmed at this time. Central Square has turned over their information to a forensics investigator to confirm the potential breach of the City of Topeka Utility Billing Payment System. On Saturday, December 8th the City of Topeka Information Technology team went through the data breach system and did not see any malicious activity. As a potential victim of a cyber-attack, the City of Topeka wants to keep our costumers information safe and city Information Technology staff worked with the software vendor on December 7th to transition the current online Utility Billing Payment System to a more secure platform as advised by the software vendor. Local law enforcement and the FBI have been notified of the potential breach.

The City of Topeka is working with very limited information at this time regarding the potential cyber-attack. The data breach occurred between October 31st and December 7th. The data breach would affect any City of Topeka Utilities customer who made a one-time payment or set up autopay during this time. E-checks and customers who set up autopay before October 31st will not be affected. While this potential compromise has not been confirmed by a qualified forensic investigator yet, the City is strongly recommending, as a precautionary measure, customers who make credit card or debit card transactions using the online Utility Billing Payment System between October 31st and December 7th to contact their credit card issuer for advice related to the potential exposure of their credit card information.

As the potential victim of a cyber-attack, the City of Topeka has identified that up to 10,000 customers have been potentially impacted by the data breach. City of Topeka Utilities Department will be sending a letter to customers whose information has potentially been impacted.

Information on the potential breach will be on the City of Topeka website front page and updated as information becomes available. You can find more information on how to respond to a data breach at: https://www.ftc.gov/data-breach-resources

With severe storms forecasted to impact the Topeka area on Wednesday, the City of Topeka is prepared to respond to potential storm damage and is mobilizing resources to assist with storm debris clean-up.

To report downed city-owned trees, blocked streets or sidewalks from tree debris, or traffic light issues, residents are encouraged to contact the City of Topeka Call Center at 785-368-3111 or report through the SeeClickFix app or webpage. Crews will prioritize moving debris to the side of the road to reopen traffic access as swiftly as possible.

The City of Topeka will focus on clearing city-owned trees and ensuring roadways remain accessible. Should severe storm damage affect large portions of the city, the City Manager will determine if the city will initiate a city-wide storm damage pickup. If city-wide pickup is not implemented, property owners are responsible for removing and disposing of their own tree limbs and other debris. Stay tuned for further updates as the City of Topeka continues to monitor the storm. Please follow the City of Topeka on social media or visit the city’s website for the latest information.

The City of Topeka has officially closed the application process for the position of police chief. A total of 18 applicants applied for the role. The recruiting firm SGR will now begin the process of narrowing the pool down to four or five finalists.

To give residents an opportunity to meet the finalists, the city will host a public meet and greet on Wednesday, November 6, at the Emerald Ballroom in Hotel Topeka, located at 1717 SW Topeka Blvd.
The event will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will provide community members the chance to interact with the candidates and ask questions.

“We are excited to meet with the finalists and engage with the community as we select our next police
chief,” said City Manager Dr. Robert Perez. “It’s important that the candidates reflect our values and will work towards the goals outlined in our public input sessions. We invite all members of the community to participate and share their thoughts during this important time.”

Following the public event, there will be a special meeting of the Governing Body at 6 p.m. on Thursday,
November 7, to discuss the police chief candidates, with the goal of selecting the next leader of the Topeka Police Department. They will meet in executive session.

The city will continue to provide updates on the search as the process moves forward.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the City of Topeka will receive $1.7 million to fund its homeless housing and service program, Shelter Plus Care. The City was awarded an additional $51,737 in planning funds to help the homeless population.

This announcement comes one day after the City reported an increase in the homeless population from its annual Point in Time Homeless Count.

According to the count, 365 people, and 297 households are experiencing homelessness in Topeka and Shawnee County. 40% of the homeless population are unsheltered, meaning they are not living in an emergency shelter or in transitional housing.

“Shelter Plus Care helps around 240 households on a given month. This renewal of funding can help some of those unsheltered individuals in the community, as that number is increasing,” said Corrie Wright, Division Director of Housing Services for the City of Topeka.

Shelter Plus Care is a program designed to provide rental assistance to homeless persons with disabilities, including severe and persistent mental illness, chronic problems with alcohol and/or drugs. Participants may choose their residence from units where the landlord agrees to accept the established housing subsidy, and abide by the Shelter Plus Care program guidelines.

In order to be eligible for Shelter Plus Care, you must meet all of the following criteria:

• You are homeless, living in the streets or shelter
• You suffer from one of the following disabilities; severe mental illness, chronic substance abuse, and/or HIV/AIDS
• You are receiving case management services through one of the designated agencies

For a full list of criteria, and for more information about Shelter Plus Care, visit https://www.topeka.org/housing-services/shelter-plus-care/.

Shelter Plus Care can only accept referrals from the agencies providing case management.

 

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced the City of Topeka will receive a Raise Grant of $25 million to serve disadvantaged census tracts.

The project will cover 50 miles to construct new or improved sidewalks that will transform the River Road and other locations. The City of Topeka’s project is just one of 148 that were selected by the Biden-Harris Administration for the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program. This project will help ensure pedestrians will have safe and equitable access to daily destinations and local bus routes.

“This grant in the amount of $25 Million will allow us to do some transformative projects for the City of Topeka.” said Public Works Director Braxton Copley.

Key Transformative Projects:

• NE River Rd: NE Crane to NE Emmett Shared-Use Path, which will provide safe access between the Oakland neighborhood and Downtown Topeka.
• SE California Ave: 10^th St to 10^th Ave, which will provide a much safer pedestrian connection between NE Topeka to SE Topeka, as well as access to Topeka Cemetery and transit stops.
• Areas of North Topeka, such as NE Norris St (near Topeka Rescue Mission Distribution Center, ICI Manufacturing, and Topeka North Outreach Food Bank).
• The Central Highland Park neighborhood from SE Adams St to SE California Ave, and from SE 21^st St to SE 29^th

To learn more about the Department of Transportation’s announcement, please visit:

RAISE 2024 Fact Sheets (transportation.gov)

The City of Topeka announced today it’s successful bid for funding as part of the city’s participation in the City Inclusive Entrepreneurship (CIE) program, through the National League of Cities (NLC). The City of Topeka recently joined the CIE program, making commitments to anchor procurement as well as Hispanic and Latino businesses.

The city was awarded $30,000 from the NLC, with $15,000 to go towards each commitment. The first commitment is to encourage minority business owners to explore opportunities to contract with anchors, or large institutions like the city, state agencies, hospitals, and universities. The second is to encourage members of the Hispanic and Latin American community to explore entrepreneurship opportunities in Topeka.

The goal of the CIE program is to encourage cities to create the right policies, programs and practices that drive inclusive, entrepreneurship-led economic growth in their respective communities. By making these two public commitments, the City of Topeka is creating a shared vision for local stakeholders to rally around, positioning itself as an active leader in the innovation economy in Topeka, and highlighting the opportunity for partners to connect with us to help everyone reach a shared goal.

The CIE program is a network of over 250 municipalities across the country, which gives city staff access to hands-on assistance from NLC and program experts, peer learning opportunities, recognition of our work and financial support to implement new programs.

As part of the commitment to encourage anchor procurement amongst minority business owners, the city is planning to partner with community organizations which offer educational resources to small and diverse business owners and entrepreneurs about how to do business with the city. In order to encourage more Hispanic community members to explore entrepreneurship opportunities, the city will work towards reducing barriers and promoting opportunities to create a more vibrant and diverse business community in Topeka.

To learn more about the CIE program, visit www.nlc.org/initiative/city-inclusive-entrepreneurship/.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced the City of Topeka will receive $4,312,000 to enhance traffic and pedestrian safety.

This Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant is the largest competitive grant award the City has received. Topeka received the third largest SS4A amount awarded by the USDOT to 99 communities in the country during this first round of announcements. Additionally, the Build Kansas Fund will provide the city with the grant’s 20% match requirement, bringing the total funding to $5,390,000 at no fiscal impact to the city.

This funding will allow for the development of a holistic, community-wide strategic plan called the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan (CSAP). In addition to the CSAP, the funding will also allow the City to carry out demonstration activities in concurrence with the Plan to inform future infrastructure investment.

“By emphasizing safety impact, equity considerations, and collaborating with stakeholders, we are committed to creating a safer and more inclusive environment for all members of our community,” Director of Public Works Braxton Copley said.

Thirteen groups – including local, county and state organizations – provided letters of support for this application, demonstrating a strong endorsement from the community.

The SS4A discretionary program was established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) with $5 billion in appropriated funds over five years, 2022-2026. This is the first BIL grant the City has been awarded. The SS4A program funds regional, local, and Tribal initiatives through grants to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries.

For a full list of Round 1 grant recipients, visit Safe Streets and Roads for All Fiscal Year 2024 Planning and Demonstration Grant Awards by State (transportation.gov).

The City of Topeka has been awarded a $750,000 grant from Federal Home Loan Bank for the Property Maintenance Violation Rehabilitation program. The program will work with low-income homeowners with housing violations with the Property Maintenance Division and use the funding from the grant to help them restore their properties. The funds for the Property Maintenance Rehabilitation program will be available approximately January 1st, 2019.
“The Department of Neighborhood Relations is very excited to be helping more low-income families in Topeka. Many of the people we serve are not only low-income but elderly and sometimes disabled. This grant will allow us to help over 50 families with property maintenance rehabilitation on their homes in the upcoming year,” said Corrie Wright, Division Director of Housing Services for the Neighborhood Relations Department.
The Property Maintenance Rehabilitation Program will help enable residents to maintain a safe environment in their home. Qualifying repairs will include; collapsed or badly deteriorated sewer line, roof replacement, guttering, replacement of windows, weatherization, siding and other items as determined on a case by case basis by the Department of Neighborhood Relations. The rehabilitation completed is a grant to the homeowner with a maximum benefit of $20,000 and a minimum of assistance of $2,500. Capitol Federal® is the sponsor for this award and will be assisting the City of Topeka with the program.
“Capitol Federal® is proud to be the member Bank partnering with the FHLBank of Topeka and the City of Topeka in the Property Maintenance Rehabilitation Affordable Housing Program. As a leading Kansas residential real estate lender, CapFed® recognizes many low-income families live in homes which require costly repairs that can be difficult to make given budget constraints. Our goal is for this partnership to provide safe and healthy living spaces for area residents and have a positive impact on Topeka housing,” said Lloyd Rainge, Community Development Director for Capitol Federal.
Eligibility for the Property Maintenance Rehabilitation Program will require residents to:
 Have a Property Maintenance code violation

 Applicant household income must not exceed 50% of the current median household income as determined by HUD.
 The applicant must have resided in the property for more than one year.
 All Federal, State and local regulations must be met by the owner of the property to receive assistance.
 The program will not assist for home fire repair or rehabilitation nor flood repair or rehabilitation.
 The program will not assist homeowners that received Topeka Opportunity to Own (TOTO) assistance.
 The program will not assist to clean up properties, cut grass or other items not related to the home itself.
 The program will not assist a house with 30% or more replacement cost new.
 All repairs, as determined by the department to be necessary for the occupants, must be repaired. If the cost of the repairs exceeds the program limits, the owner shall be responsible for the payment of the additional funds.

The City of Topeka’s Property Maintenance Rehabilitation Program received a $750,000 grant from Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka. Capitol Federal® Savings Bank is the sponsor for the grant, and will be assisting the City with the program.

The City’s Housing Services Division administers the Property Maintenance Rehabilitation Program, which assists low-income homeowners who need repairs to bring their homes up to code.

“We are very excited to be helping more low-income families in Topeka. Many of the people we serve are not only low-income, but elderly, and sometimes disabled. This grant will allow us to help over 50 families with property maintenance rehabilitation on their homes this year,” said Corrie Wright, Division Director of Housing Services.

The Property Maintenance Rehabilitation Program helps residents to maintain a safe environment in their home. Qualifying repairs include; collapsed or badly deteriorated sewer line, roof replacement, guttering, replacement of windows, weatherization, siding and other items as determined on a case by case basis the City’s Housing Services Division.

The rehabilitation is a grant to the homeowner with a maximum benefit of $20,000 and a minimum of assistance of $2,500. The homeowner does not have to pay the grant back.

Eligible households must have an active property maintenance code violation, and be on the deed of the property. Housing code violations must be for the home the person is residing in. Violations for detached garages, weeds, trees and trash removal are not eligible.

The City’s Housing Services Division determines eligibility for the Property Maintenance Rehabilitation Program. To request an application, call 785-368-3711.