WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - The U.S. District Court finalized a settlement Friday afternoon regarding the Wichita Police Department’s use of an internal document dubbed the “gang list,” which lists gang members and their associates.
The ACLU filed a federal lawsuit in 2021 stating the police department violated federal rights by incorrectly including people on the gang list as gang members or associates based on vague and overbroad criteria.
“It’s super important that the voices that don’t get heard every day and the stories that don’t get heard every day, get a platform to speak,” said Marquetta Atkins with local youth activist groups, Destination Innovation and Progeny. “This is something that has slid under the radar way too long.”
Reforms to the gang list include tougher restrictions on who is added and more rights for those on the list.
Terry Sims was on the WPD gang list. He said the settlement means young people don’t have to be defined by law enforcement.
“Not being told who they are, they get to create who they are, they get to identify who they are and not by somebody else telling them by placing them on a list or things of that nature,” said Sims. “So, I’m really excited for the youth of this community and where they’re headed and the opportunity that’s going to be afforded to them.”
Atkins said Friday’s settlement was one step toward changing policies in a system that’s existed for 30 years.
“It seems like we’ve been working all this time to get the policy changed and now we’re going to begin implementing how the community can be aware of what’s happening with this policy and doing sessions, and making sure that everybody’s informed how they get their names off the list if their names are not already off the list by the automatic drops that happen,” said Atkins.
When the lawsuit was filed, the Wichita Police Department said teens whose names appear on the list can fill out an application and request to be removed.
After three years, if there is no documented gang-related activity, WPD said a person’s name is moved to the inactive gang database.