Speeding stop lands officer in court
Driver says Parkville, Mo., policeman made her shed clothes to avoid ticket
PARKVILLE, MO. ? A former suburban Kansas City police officer has been charged with a felony after a woman accused him of making her disrobe to avoid a speeding ticket.
Richard D. Cullen, 36, of Kansas City, on Friday became the second Parkville city employee in two days to be charged with a felony. Louella R. Smith, the Parkville Municipal Court administrator, was charged Thursday with stealing more than $100,000 from the city in a three-year period.
Cullen’s attorney, Bill Odle, said Friday that his client “categorically denies” the charge.
Cullen is accused of stopping a 20-year-old woman in the early-morning hours of June 9 in Parkville for speeding, then having her follow him to a secluded area.
The woman claims Cullen made her raise her shirt and bra, then disrobe from the waist down and bend over. The woman said Cullen let her get dressed and drive away without giving her a ticket.
Cullen told Platte County sheriff’s deputies that the woman talked him into letting her out of the ticket by taking her clothes off and sitting naked on his police car.
Platte County prosecutor Eric Zahnd said there were no allegations of physical contact.
The woman reported the incident later that day, and Cullen resigned from the police force two days later. Police Chief William Hudson asked the Sheriff’s Department to investigate the case.




