Michael Cruse
Service Record
Topeka Kansas Police Department
| Rank | Officer |
| Dates of Service | 1998[1] - May 2023[2] |
| Salary | $84,058 (2020)[3] |
| Last Known Status | Retired[2] |
Incident Reports
2001 Injury Accident
On March 31, 2001, Cruse was responding to a call of a bar fight. Cruse was in an accident while responding to the call.[4]
2002 Death of Leonard Porter
On April 30, 2002, Cruse was responding to a burglar alarm call, and was driving without lights and siren. Cruse ran a stop sign and struck Leonard Porter's truck, killing him.[4][5]
Response Timeline
On June 17, 2002, Cruse was fired by the department[4], but an arbitrator ordered him reinstated[6]
Cruse was charged with involuntary manslaughter (a felony) and misdemeanor traffic offenses.[4]
Cruse pled guilty to misdemeanor vehicular homicide, speeding, and failing to stop at stop sign. Cruces was sentenced to one year in jail, but was ordered to serve 30 days in jail and 60 days of house arrest.[7][6]
In August 2002, the city and Police Department paid $425,000 to settle a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by Porter’s relatives.[4]
2015 Death of Animal
In 2015, Cruse shot and killed a dog while responding to a possible break-in. He said the dog was charging and he felt threatened.[8][5]
Response Timeline
The department found that Cruse did not break department policy. Officers were given more training on how to respond to animals in the field.[8]
2017 Death of Dominique White
Response Timeline
On September 28, 2017, Cruse was placed on administrative leave.[9]
On February 7, 2018, Cruse returned from administrative leave.[9]
On June 27, 2018, White's family filed a lawsuit against the officers and the city.[10]
On September 28, 2020, the U.S. District Court ruled that the officers had not violated White's Fourth Amendments rights and were entitled to qualified immunity. The charges against the city remain undecided.[11][12]
In November 2021, the family withdrew their lawsuit. No reason was given.[13]
References
- ↑ Former Topeka police officer to face trial for fatal crash, Lawrence Journal-World, 2002-09-07
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Matthew Johnstone, Veteran Salute: Serving in the military and local police, KSNT, 2024-02-07
- ↑ Michael Cruse Police Officer City of Topeka, govSalaries
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Former Topeka police officer to face trial for fatal crash, Lawrence Journal-World, 2002-09-07
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Officer in Dominique White shooting involved in two other high profile killings, KSNT News, 2017-12-28
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Nick Viviani, Dominique White family "shocked" and "outraged" by TPD review, WIBW, 2018-01-19
- ↑ Ex-officer pleads guilty in fatal crash, Lawrence Journal-World, 2002-12-20
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 James Ryan, Officer in Dominique White shooting involved in two other high-profile killings, KSNT, 2017-12-28
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 2 Topeka Officers Involved in Fatal Shooting Back at Work, Kansas Public Radio, 2018-02-09
- ↑ Family of black man killed when two Kansas officers shot him in the back sue the department six months after cops were cleared in his death, Daily Mail, 2018-06-28
- ↑ Steve Fry, Judge rules in favor of 2 Topeka Police Officers in shooting death of Dominique White, WIBW, 2020-09-28
- ↑ White v. City of Topeka Opinion, U.S. District Court, 2020-09-28
- ↑ Tim Hrenchir, Dominique White's family and city of Topeka jointly seek dismissal of suit linked to police shooting, cjonline, 2021-11-26
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