News & Commentary

The U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas has granted preliminary approval of a proposed settlement in a class action lawsuit challenging the Wichita Police Department’s alleged violation of the constitutional rights of class members by including them in its gang list database.

The judgment stems from a 2019 lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union against the KHP over its “two-step” approach. That’s where troopers pull someone over, and then seek to reengage the driver after the stop to develop reasonable suspicion to search their vehicle.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and local mental health care providers are launching a new program next month. The ACLU of Kansas sued the state over its waiting list, arguing that the backlog is unconstitutional. That case is ongoing.

Trust is built through accountability and transparency, said Micah Kubic, executive director of the ACLU of Kansas. “The public has the right to know what happened, has the right to know whether police officers acted in a manner that is consistent with their training, the law, and common sense."

Recently, the Kansas Legislature introduced House Bill 2568, which would end the practice of assessing fees and fines to people moving through the state’s juvenile justice system. As I know firsthand, this is a reform that could prevent the cycle of poverty and incarceration that traps many youth.

As a formerly incarcerated individual who successfully navigated the justice system, I understand firsthand the importance of restoring voting rights to citizens returning to public life.

Rashane Hamby, director of policy and research at the ACLU of Kansas, said Kansas’ current forfeiture law has placed an undue burden on claimants and has disproportionately impacted those who don’t have the resources to hire attorneys.

Kansas should also allow executions by hypoxia, Kobach says. The controversial execution method deprives a person of oxygen and was used in the United States for the first time last month. Micah Kubic, executive director of the ACLU of Kansas, called the proposed legislation extreme.

Micah Kubic, executive director of the ACLU of Kansas, said body cameras would not fix the problems that came up in the two-step lawsuit, in which the ACLU represented motorists. However, he said cameras can be an important tool to encourage accountability.