Press Releases

The Topeka Municipal Court will continue its suspension of most in-person dockets through January 28, 2022. The decision was made as a result of increased community spread of COVID-19 in Shawnee County.

All impacted cases will be rescheduled. Impacted defendants and defense counsel will be notified by mail. The Court will still continue to conduct its daily Jail/Show Cause Dockets, Video Conference Hearings, Alternate Sentencing Court and Sentencing Hearings.

Defendants are strongly encouraged to conduct business by phone, email, or facsimile whenever possible. Payments can be made online, over the phone, or by mail. Parties may also visit the Court’s website to determine if their matter qualifies for resolution via a video conference hearing.

The Court will remain open for walk-in business Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and on Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., for defendants to set court dates, resolve non-appearance required cases, recall warrants, file documents, make payments and reset payment plans. Masks are required to be worn in all City of Topeka buildings.

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. Probationers who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 or other related illnesses should contact the Probation Division by calling 785-368-3783.

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.

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.

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

The Topeka Police Department (TPD) is now accepting applications for its 52nd Citizens Academy, a popular bi-annual program now in its 29th year.

The academy will be held Wednesday evenings from 6-9 p.m., beginning August 20th, 2025, and concluding November 12th, 2025.

Participants will gain valuable insights into the challenges of modern law enforcement and how the Topeka Police Department addresses them. The program covers a wide range of topics including field operations, criminal investigations, community outreach, crisis negotiations, law enforcement technology, and crime scene investigations, among others.

In addition to the regular classes, participants have the opportunity to attend two optional Saturday sessions including a tour of the Shawnee County Department of Corrections, demonstrations by the K9 unit and other hands-on training scenarios and demonstrations.

Applicants must be 18 years or older and pass a criminal background check. To apply, visit the Citizens Academy webpage at https://www.topeka.org/tpd/opportunities-for-citizens/citizens-academy/#gsc.tab=0

For questions, contact Sergeant Michael Burns at (785) 368-2401 or via email at mdburns@topeka.org. Seats are limited, so submit your application soon!

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!

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

The Topeka Police Department is proud to announce the launch of a new specialized initiative aimed at reducing violent crime in our city and increasing community engagement and involvement. The program, titled PACT (Police and Community Together) is built on the principle that
lasting public safety is only possible through strong, collaborative partnerships between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

To introduce this initiative and foster meaningful dialogue, the Topeka Police Department will host a community kickoff picnic on Thursday, May 22, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Little Oakland Park, 900 NE Chester Ave.

This event is a great opportunity for residents to meet Topeka Police Chief Chris Vallejo, his senior command staff, and the dedicated officers of the PACT unit. Attendees are encouraged to share their ideas, voice concerns, and help shape the department’s ongoing strategies to address and prevent violent crime in Topeka.

The evening will include complimentary food, community resource information, and time for one-on-one conversations with staff and officers.
All members of the public are warmly invited to attend. Come out, enjoy the evening, and be part of the conversation on making Topeka safer—together.

Event Details:
What: PACT Community Kickoff Picnic
When: Thursday, May 22, 2025 | 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Where: Little Oakland Park, 900 NE Chester, Topeka, KS
Who: Chief Vallejo, Topeka Police Department leadership, PACT officers, and the public
Why: To elicit meaningful dialogue between the Topeka Police Department and the citizens of Topeka to
talk about crime reductions strategies and exchange information.

The Topeka Police Department will be hosting car stop training to local high school students and their parents this summer. Students will learn what to do if pulled over by a Topeka Police Officer. Interactions with the police can be a stressful and intimidating experience for community members. The training sessions will allow students to interact with instructors and experience what a car stop might look like, both from the driver’s perspective as well as the Officer’s in both a classroom setting as well as a mock car stop in the parking lot.  

There will be two sessions available for students and their parents to sign up. 

• Saturday June 21st at Crestview Community Center, 4801 SW Shunga Drive, from 10AM to 1PM 

• Saturday July 19th at the Law Enforcement Center, 320 S. Kansas Ave, from 4PM to 7PM 

To sign up, students and their parents may contact Sergeant Mike Burns at 785-368-2401 or mdburns@topeka.org.