Commissioners criticize Lofton task force’s call for a DOJ civil rights investigation
Two Sedgwick County commissioners on Wednesday criticized a community task force for sending a letter seeking a federal investigation into potential civil rights violations by city, county and state departments after the in-custody death of 17-year-old Cedric Lofton.
County officials have said federal law enforcement officials are already reviewing Lofton’s death. But the scope of the review is unclear, and the FBI has declined to comment.
The Sedgwick County Taskforce to Review Youth Corrections Systems Standards, which holds its meetings at a county building and has a page on the county’s website, finalized a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Monday.
It asks for a federal investigation into a potential pattern and practice of civil rights violations by the Wichita Police Department, Sedgwick County Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center and Kansas Department for Children and Families, “including but not limited to the death of Cedric Lofton.”
Commissioners Jim Howell and Pete Meitzner said Wednesday that the letter is outside the scope of the letter the County Commission voted to endorse at a special meeting last month. Meitzner, who had voted to endorse the task force letter, pulled his support on Wednesday after the letter called for “an investigation” instead of “a review.”
“I recall that I was specific on that motion that said we support a review of the case, so any insinuation that I was supporting an investigation or everything the task force has done, is not accurate,” he said at Wednesday’s commission meeting.
Howell, who was the lone dissenting vote when the commission endorsed a letter from the task force, said Wednesday that he would like to review the letter and have the County Commission weigh in on whether it supports a full-scale investigation by the DOJ.
“I’m supporting the task force in their review of policies and procedures,” Howell said. “But in terms of a letter to the Department of Justice to investigate Sedgwick County looking for things wrong — the FBI was involved in this case from the very beginning — it’s unnecessary and it’s inappropriate.”
Commissioner Lacey Cruse, who said she supports a civil rights investigation, said the commissioners’ move could threaten the independence of the citizen-led task force that is reviewing city, county and state policies surrounding Lofton’s death.
“I think it is important to understand that this task force was told to the community and explained to the community by Commissioner Dennis and by Commissioner Lopez that this was to be run by the community, and so I support that,” she said. “The moment that this commission starts meddling in what they do, I don’t believe that’s the best course of action to take because that’s not what this community is under the impression that this task force is supposed to be designed for.”
She’s asking for the commission to vote to endorse the task force’s finalized letter next week. Commission Chairman David Dennis would not commit to putting it on next week’s agenda.
“I would like to request, as a commissioner from this bench, that it’s on the next meeting,” Cruse said.
“At a future meeting, we will put it on,” Dennis said.
“OK. Well, I am making a request. I guess if you disagree, that’s fine. But I’m making in a request to put that on the next meeting. I think it’s timely and important to do,” Cruse said.
The task force is seeking a federal investigation after Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett announced he would not pursue criminal charges against any of the law enforcement officers or juvenile detention staff involved in Lofton’s death. Bennett said the case would likely be dismissed under the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law.
