KANSAS CITY, Kan. —
Four Kansas City, Kansas police officers have been suspended without pay after they were arrested in a sting operation this week, prompted by an internal investigation.Agents with the FBI detained several officers of the department's SCORE unit at department headquarters on Tuesday night.
Police Chief Rick Armstrong said he could not share further details on charges or the reason for the arrests. Armstrong could also not say how many additional officers had been questioned in the investigation.
"Thi is not a systemic problem in this organization," Armstrong said.
Sources inside the department who have asked to remain anonymous told FOX 4 News that the investigation is "a huge black eye" for the department.
"We are all sick (over the charges)," said Armstrong. "The reaction yesterday was sick to stomach, embarassed, unacceptable."
Armstrong said the investigation began in the fall of 2010 after a complaint from a citizen.
On Wednesday, Kansas City, Kansas mayor Joe Reardon called misconduct allegations against several KCK police officers "troubling." in a statement on Wednesday.
"I have the highest confidence in Police Chief Armstrong and his leadership of the KCK Police Department," Reardon said. "I applaud his decision to launch the investigation and fully support the way it is being handled."
According to police, Chief Armstrong requested assistance from the FBI, the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Wyandotte County District Attorney's Office in the investigation, the details of which have not been released, although sources say that the matter could involve felony federal charges.
The function of the SCORE Unit, according to the department's website, is to "reduce violent crime, and to utilize all legal remedies at its disposal to rid the community of dangerous felons and or any criminal activity where specialized attention is a necessity."
Chief Armstrong asked the public to not cast the entire department with those officers who have been arrested.
"(We) want to assure you we value your trust, and we make a committement each and every day to earn your trust," said Chief Armstrong.
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