Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree said today that felony charges have been filed against a Kansas City, Kansas, police officer.
Officer Deotis Brown was charged in a domestic violence case involving physical violence with an adult romantic partner, according to Dupree. Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated witness intimidation were the charges filed.
Charges first were filed in Jackson County, Missouri, on Saturday, he said. These include three counts involving a domestic incident.
Then after the witness came forward about another incident in February in Wyandotte County, charges were filed Thursday in Wyandotte County, according to Dupree.
The officer has been placed on suspension without pay, according to Chief Karl Oakman. He will be suspended without pay pending the outcome of the trial or the process. If he is convicted, he will be terminated, Chief Oakman said.
Dupree said domestic violence is a real concern. Sometimes victims are afraid to come forward. He encouraged victims to come forward and get help before it’s too late.
Chief Oakman said as with any crime, no one is above the law and everyone will be held accountable. Also, officers could be victims of crime and there is an opportunity for them to come forward as well, he said. He said the police department is reaching out to do what it can to help alleviate this type of violence in the community.
Thirty-four percent of the homicides in Wyandotte County this year were domestic-related, Chief Oakman said.
Brown has been employed with the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department since 2017. Bond was set at $40,000 in the Wyandotte County case, Dupree said.