Press Releases

Topeka Municipal Court to resume some services on Thursday, dockets remain cancelled for the week

The Topeka Municipal Court and Probation and Prosecution Divisions have resumed customer-service facing operations on Thursday, October 19, following a temporary closure of the court.

Effective immediately, the court is resuming in-person and over-the-phone services to its customers, and will be working to reschedule dockets and trials that have been cancelled this week.

Dockets and trials remain cancelled for the week and will resume on Monday, October 23. All court, probation and prosecution operations will resume as normal that day.

The possible cyber security concern was thoroughly investigated, and court operations are able to resume.

 

Topeka Municipal Court to suspend some dockets

The Topeka Municipal Court will suspend scheduled dockets on Thursday, July 7, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and all scheduled dockets on Friday, July 8, 2022. This closure is due to temporary staffing and scheduling issues.

The DUI/Drug Docket on Thursday, July 7 at 8:30 a.m. will be held as scheduled. The Court will resume normal operations on Monday, July 11, 2022.

All impacted cases will be rescheduled, and impacted defendants and defense counsel will be notified by mail.

Non-docket Court business, such as defendants wanting to set court dates, resolve non-appearance required cases, recall warrants, file documents, make payments, and reset payment plans, will continue as normal during business hours.

Defendants are encouraged to check the status of their case on the Court’s online public access portal at https://www.topeka.org/municipalcourt/.

Anyone directed to report to the Probation Division should continue to report as scheduled.

 

Topeka Neighborhood University – Neighborhood Leaders Training

The City of Topeka Neighborhood Relations Department will be hosting the Topeka Neighborhood University on Saturday, September 8th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Ramada Hotel & Convention Center. This Neighborhood Leaders Training will be given by NeighborWorks America.

NeighborWorks America is an organization that brings 30 years of experience in training and conducting assessments of nearly 250 NeighborWorks organizations nationwide will provide training to neighborhood leaders and community partners. NeighborWorks America is an organization that works to help communities with affordable housing and community development initiatives through building skills and supplementing resources of the organizations they work with.

“The City of Topeka/Department of Neighborhood Relations understands the collaboration with neighborhood leaders and community partners is an instrumental component to the success of a strong community,” said Monique Glaudeˊ Division Director of Community Engagement for the Neighborhood Relations Department. “We are excited to bring NeighborWorks America back to our community for the second session of Topeka Neighborhood University.”

The training, sharing of ideas and exchange of knowledge can lead to lasting benefits for the community and will afford neighborhood leaders an opportunity to create actions steps to assist in developing their strategic plan to improve the quality of life for their neighborhoods.

Workshops at the Topeka Neighborhood University will include facilitating group decision making, partner cultivation clinic, community genius: small strategies for big neighborhood impact and organizing for neighborhood safety.

Due to limited seating, no walk-in’s will be allowed. If you would like to attend please RSVP by
Friday August, 24th to Monique Glaudeˊ at (785) 368-4470 or mglaude@topeka.org

Topeka Police Department accepting applications for its 46th Citizens Academy

The Topeka Police Department is accepting applications for its 46th Citizens Police Academy. The TPD is happy to offer the academy once again after being shut down during the COVID pandemic. This is the 26th year the department has offered this popular bi-annual program!

Classes will be held Thursdays from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., beginning August 25, 2022, and running through November 3, 2022.

Citizens attending will be exposed to the challenges faced by law enforcement, and learn how TPD meets those challenges. Participants will learn about various aspects of the Police Department including field operations, criminal investigations, community outreach, crisis negotiations, bomb disposal, crime scene investigations, and much more!

If you or anyone you know, who is over 18 years of age is interested in attending, an application must be filled out and submitted at https://www.topeka.org/tpd/opportunities-for-citizens/citizens-academy/. You can also contact Cpt. Colleen Stuart at 785-368-9451 with questions. There is limited space available, and seats fill quickly, so turn your applications in soon!

 

Topeka Police Department Incident of Officer Involved Shooting

Officer Involved Shooting

At approximately 0920 this morning, the Topeka Police Department responded to the 300 Blk of SE Lawrence regarding a report of a disturbance with shots fired in the area.

Officers responding encountered a suspicious person in the area. While investigating the individual, officers saw a handgun on their person. In the process of trying to secure the firearm, the individual struggled with officers and attempted to flee. While fleeing from officers, the individual reached for the pocket contacting the firearm, causing the officers to fire their weapons. The individual sustained life threatening injuries as a result.

Officers immediately provided medical assistance and summoned AMR who transported the individual to a local hospital where the subject was pronounced deceased. Identification will not be released until next of kin has been notified.

The individual’s gun was recovered from the scene. All parties believed to be involved in the incident have been identified and the public at large is not in danger.

The investigation remains ongoing. The Lawrence Police Department is conducting the investigation in the interest in transparency and at the request of Chief Kramer. The Shawnee County Sheriffs’ Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol also responded to assist the TPD with the incident.

The officers involved in the incident will not be identified at this time.

More information will be made available when possible.

Contact: Lawrence PD SGT Grady 785-218-0444

Topeka Police to host cyber fraud awareness training for the public

The Topeka Police Department (TPD) will be hosting three Cyber Fraud Awareness training sessions this October, focusing on common scams, how they operate, and steps to protect yourself.
These sessions are the first of their kind, created in response to the rising reports of online scams in our community. TPD’s Financial Crimes Unit will present 1-hour overview of prevalent scams, followed by a 30-minute Q&A.
Session Dates and Locations:
• Session 1: Wednesday, October 9, 2024, from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, Melvin Auditorium 101C, 1515 SW 10th St.
• Session 2: Wednesday, October 16, 2024, from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at the Brewster Place Event Center, 900 SW 31st St.
• Session 3: Thursday, October 17, 2024, from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at the Oakland Community Center, 801 NE Poplar St.
“Cybercrimes are on the rise nationwide, and the Topeka Police Department is dedicated to equipping our community with the knowledge needed to avoid falling victim,” said Interim Chief Jamey Haltom. “I encourage everyone to attend and learn how we can work together to prevent these crimes in the Capital City.”
These sessions are in-person, open to the public, and do not require registration.
“Cybercrime has been steadily growing in the United States and is a worldwide phenomenon that has taken advantage of our ever-increasing digital world,” said TPD’s financial crimes supervisor, Sergeant Ky Shorb. “It is imperative that people protect themselves against this financial threat. The Topeka Police Department is proud to present this awareness training against cybercrime.”

Topeka Police unveil identification cards for the unsheltered


The Topeka Police Department is proud to announce a new collaborative state-of-the-art initiative to help the unsheltered and indigent population in Topeka.

TPD has started issuing official City of Topeka Personal Identification Cards, an initiative that has never been done in Kansas. The cards are meant to bridge the gap for the unsheltered or those who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford or have the proper documentation to apply for a state issued ID. The city issued ID cards are free and available to anyone in need.

The City of Topeka issued ID card will include the person’s legal name, photo, signature, date of birth, personal demographics, address or last know location, and Kansas State ID card number if applicable. In order to qualify, individuals must go through the Topeka Police Department for this process.

The City of Topeka issued IDs can be used to apply for a job through Day Labor Services, apply for residency and more.

“We are very excited to have partnered on this progressive effort to aid the unsheltered population in Topeka. These ID cards will allow people to gain access to a wide range of services that otherwise would not be available to them,” said Chief Bill Cochran. “Proper identification is a crucial element on the path towards gaining self-sustainability for this section of our population. We are here to help them along the way.”

In Kansas, to apply for a state issued identification card, you must have proof of identification. Many unsheltered people don’t have proof of identification, making the process nearly impossible.

In partnership with the Kansas Department of Revenue and Kansas Department of Health and Environment: Office of Vital Statistics, the Topeka Police Department is streamlining this normally difficult process. KDOR will be accepting the city issued ID card as proof of identification, which will then allow a person to get a temporary one-year state issued ID card. With that temporary state issued ID, the person has one year to go to Vital Statistics to get a copy of their birth certificate. With the temporary state ID card and the official copy of their birth certificate, they are then able to go to Social Security to get a copy of their social security card. After this process is complete, they can then go back to KDOR to get their official state ID. There will be a cost associated with applying for the temporary state ID card and official state ID card.

The identification process for the City of Topeka issued ID card will be in depth, to make sure that the person is identified correctly. This process will take anywhere between a week to a month.
The Topeka Rescue Mission will be assisting in our unsheltered and indigent outreach efforts as we work to identify those who can benefit from this initiative.

“One of the greatest barriers to success for unsheltered individuals is the inability to obtain legal identification. Without this identification, unsheltered individuals and families are unable to obtain employment, open a bank account, attend many educational opportunities and often move into safe and affordable housing. All too often they have nowhere else to turn other than the shelters of the Topeka Rescue Mission or the streets,” said Barry Feaker, Topeka Rescue Mission Executive Director. “Once again, the Topeka Police Department, under the leadership of Chief Bill Cochran and dedicated Officers like Sgt. Josh Klamm who has spearheaded this initiative, have created an innovative way to serve those most in need. I believe this new initiative may prove to be one of the greatest tools to breaking the cycle for unsheltered individuals that we have discovered thus far and undoubtedly will be replicated in other communities. It’s an honor to work alongside the men and women of TPD as they continually look for ways to protect and serve all of our citizens.”

It is important for people to understand that the city issued ID cards are free, but will not come with the same rights as a state issued ID card, driver’s license or passport, which will come at a cost.

Anyone interested in getting a City of Topeka Identification Card can email Sgt. Mathew Rose at mrose@topeka.org. You can also come down to the Law Enforcement Center located at 320 S Kansas Ave. Suite 100 and speak with an officer at the front desk for assistance.

Topeka receives highest equality score in city’s history

The City of Topeka received a near-perfect Municipal Equality Index (MEI) score in 2023, earning 97 out of 100 possible points. The score is the highest in the city’s history.

The MEI is a nationwide evaluation by the Human Rights Campaign of 506 cities on how inclusive municipal laws, policies, and services are of LGBTQ+ people who live and work there. Cities are rated based on non-discrimination laws, the municipality as an employer, municipal services, law enforcement and leadership on LGBTQ+ equality.

“This is the third year the City of Topeka has participated in the Municipal Equity Index and receiving the highest score yet is a recognition of our efforts to make Topeka an equitable, inclusive, and belonging community,” said Ernestor De La Rosa, the city’s Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Officer. “As a city, we will continue to work within the organization and with our community partners to ensure we are a welcoming community where we recognize the contributions of ALL residents, including those of the LGBTQ+ community.”

“I’m so proud of our collective community efforts to reach this exciting milestone of a near-perfect MEI score,” said Topeka Mayor Michael Padilla. “This score speaks to the intentional investments and thought we’ve put into ensuring greater equity in Topeka, including the creation of our DEI Office in January of this year.”

To read Topeka’s scorecard in full, visit hrc.org.mei.

 

Topeka water had a minor cloudiness violation in March, officials say it remains safe to drink

During the month of March, the City of Topeka temporarily had higher-than-normal cloudiness in its water.

The cloudiness, officially referred to as turbidity, was caused by conditions of the Kansas River due to recent rainfall.

City staff self-reported the information to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). KDHE considered the turbidity levels a minor violation. KDHE and City staff were in regular communication, and agreed the water remained safe to drink throughout the period of turbidity.

“We are alerting the public to this information to be transparent, and to also assure them that the water in Topeka is safe to drink,” said Braxton Copley, Director of Utilities. “While turbidity temporarily exceeded normal levels, cloudiness does often occur after the first heavy rainfall of the year. I am very proud of our Utilities staff who worked tirelessly to resolve this situation.”

The City’s turbidity levels were out of compliance with KDHE regulations for approximately 13 hours.

The City’s water remains in compliance with KDHE standards in all aspects.

 

Topeka Zoo and Conservation Center Confirms Lemur Pregnancy

It has been a really active past nine months for animal babies at the Topeka Zoo and Conservation center. People anticipated, watched and celebrated the births of two giraffes, four Sumatran tigers, a three-banded armadillo, a Hoffman’s sloth and a golden lion tamarin. Now through a series of ultrasound exams of a female black and white ruffed lemur, the Zoo is confirming the pregnancy of its female, Cleo.
“Maybe there’s something in the water or maybe it’s just really good animal care,” said Zoo Director Brendan Wiley. “Like with so many of the animals that live here, our lemurs participate in a cooperative animal training program that benefits their health. Our female lemur voluntarily participates in ultrasound exams. This training has allowed us to confirm one and possibly a second baby. We can only see into the part of the uterus that Cleo allows us to see. This is one of the reasons that we repeat the sonogram on the same day in consecutive weeks.”
The Zoo estimates that the female lemur is in the latter part of her third trimester. Gestation of this species is approximately 102 days. In North America, they typically give birth in either April or May. As part of the planning for the imminent birth, visitors to the zoo will see a thick layer of hay bedding and a new nest box on the floor in the lemur habitat. Zoo staff plan to continue the voluntary ultrasounds until parturition occurs.