Law Enforcement

Officials say missing teen, Katelyn Barrett, has been found safe in Park City. Police tell Eyewitness News Reporter Denise Hnytka the girl was not abducted, and they don't believe she was ever in any danger. The teen was found in the 5800 block of Forestor in Park City.  A teenager was taken into custody there.  Emergency dispatchers tell us everyone will be taken to EMCU for questioning. Barrett's mother, Buffy Osorio, told Eyewitness News she is relieved after 12 hours of worrying.

New law enforcement officers are ready to hit the streets. The latest graduating class from the law enforcement academy took the oath Friday. Twenty-one will be Wichita police officers, five are Sedgwick County sheriff's deputies. The new law officers will be paired with a veteran for the next twelve weeks as they apply what they learned in the classroom to real situations in the field. Sedgwick County Sheriff Bob Hinshaw told the graduates, "now your real education begins.

A torch run supported by law enforcement throughout Kansas will celebrate it’s 30 th anniversary as it runs the final leg in Wichita Friday. The “Flame of Hope” will lead the 2011 Sundown Parade before heading to Cessna Stadium for the opening ceremony of the 2011 Special Olympics Kansas Summer Games. The Games will involve over 2,000 athletes, coaches, sponsors and volunteers  for two and a half days on the Wichita State campus. 

Wichita City Council members took time out today to honor fallen law enforcement officers.  A ceremony was held in the City Council Chambers at City Hall at noon. Since 1871, 29 law enforcement officers in Sedgwick County have fallen in the line of duty.  Each year during the second week of May law enforcement agencies across America remember those who paid the supreme sacrifice to keep the peace in their communities.  The first law enforcement officer in Sedgwick County to fall in the line of duty was Sheriff’s Deputy Carlos B. King.  Deputy King died on September 23, 1871 and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Newton, Kansas.

The Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office Offender Registration Unit conducted a sweep to verify the validity of sex offender registration information.  On May 4, the unit conducted a verification sweep at the homes of 336 registered offenders in the Wichita area.  Eighteen sheriff's deputies, eleven Wichita Police Department officers, and one U.S. Marshal were involved in the verification sweep.  During the sweep, deputies and...

The Sedgwick County Law Enforcement Memorial will be dedicated on Saturday at Wichita City Hall. The event starts at two o'clock. Attendees will include Sedgwick County Sheriff Robert Hinshaw, Derby Chief of Police Robert Lee, Clearwater Chief of Police Gene Garcia and Wichita Police Department Chief Norman Williams.  Each agency has an officer or deputy represented on the memorial. The Law Enforcement Memorial has been in the development since 2002. The memorial honors police officers and sheriff’s deputies who were killed in the line of duty.

Is 70 too slow? Some in the Statehouse think so. Friday the House passed a bill that will increase the speed limit from 70 to 75 on divided highways. But some in law enforcement say faster speeds will lead to more dangerous roads. "When there's been an adjustment in speed," says Gary Warner of the Kansas Highway Patrol, "we've seen an increase in the number of crashes. " The law still needs to pass the Senate before the speed limit is increased

Wichita Police Chief Norman Williams took time out Thursday to discuss the year in review for WPD. During the briefing, Chief Williams discussed how local non-profit organizations can help curb crime. He also talked about more aggressive traffic law enforcement. Look for more as it becomes available. Numbers of robberies, rapes, and gang crimes are all down. Wichita police say it's because of community efforts and aggressive law enforcement. But there are some things the Police Chief says still need work.

The Reno County Drug Enforcement Unit found 450 grams of "high grade marijuana" at a Hutchinson home last night. The drugs were found while the unit along with the Reno County Sheriff's Office and the Hutchinson Police Department served a search warrant. Law enforcement also say they found steroid pills and $10,000 in cash. A 21 year old man was arrested and booked into the Reno County Jail.

Kansas law enforcement officers are stepping up traffic enforcement during the Thanksgiving holiday week. Officers with the Wichita Police Department will be conducting traffic enforcement assignments Wednesday and Thursday. According to a press release, officers will be looking for and arresting impaired drivers. Officers will also pay close attention to speeders. The program is part of WPD’s 2011 Impaired Driving Deterrence Program Grant which came through the Kansas Department of Transportation.