Wichita City Manager Robert Layton said Monday that his office is looking deeper into issues related to the handling of property and evidence by the Wichita Police Department.  Mayor Brandon Whipple also announced that a task force will be taking a closer look at the issues affecting the police department to bring more accountability and transparency and to improve oversight of the department.

Layton said an audit was conducted in 2020 after concerns were raised by then-Police Chief Gordon Ramsay.  The audit was completed in 2021 and recommendations were made, but Layton said there has been an unacceptable delay in putting those recommendations into effect.

Layton listed several issues that were discovered in the audit, including the need for additional staffing, concerns about contamination or improper storage of evidence, and a concern that biological evidence and rape kits are not stored in a temperature-controlled area.   Layton said he has heard reports that some cash or evidence may be missing, and his office is looking into that.

Layton said his office has outlined a series of steps over the next year to address the issues with property and evidence, and new interim police chief Troy Livingston will be working on those issues as he takes office.

Mayor Whipple said he is appointing a task force of elected officials to do a “deep dive into the issues affecting the Wichita Police Department.”   He said the task force will look at reports and documentation to make sure they have all of the data and facts.