The Dotte Works In Secret

Following the example of Mayor Garner . . . The UG mostly works to evade questions from newsies.

Here's one example out of many . . .

Attorney Mark Kind was hired March 31 with a salary of $88,192, according to employment data obtained by The Star through a Kansas Open Records Act request. He is listed as a senior assistant district attorney and, two sources confirmed, oversees the unit charged with investigating complaints of police misconduct and potential wrongful convictions.

Reached by phone Wednesday, Kind referred The Star to DA spokesman Jonathan Carter, who in an email said “no interview” with Kind would be available. Weeks ago, when The Star asked who was running the unit, Carter said the DA’s office “does not discuss personnel matters.”

Kind was hired 10 months after the DA’s office in May 2021 fired two unit employees for making remarks that violated the office’s code of conduct. Those firings were announced as KCTV5 published secret recordings taped by a third employee, who had been terminated before the other two, that revealed unit members made disturbing comments, including about Black people.

The DA’s office did not announce Kind’s hiring. Asked if Dupree wanted to comment, his spokesman said in an email: “No, thank you.” Dupree did not return a voicemail left on his cellphone Thursday.

Prosecutors in other parts of the country have publicized the names of lawyers running similar units.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

After firings, Wyandotte County DA hires lawyer to run Community Integrity Unit

The Wyandotte County District Attorney's Office has hired a lawyer to lead its Community Integrity Unit following last year's firings of its three employees, The Star has learned. Attorney Mark Kind was hired March 31 with a salary of $88,192, according to employment data obtained by The Star through a Kansas Open Records Act request.