Detectives are finished investigating reports that more than $97,000 in union dues deducted from Lawrence schoolteachers’ paychecks had disappeared.

“It’s a 16-page report with supporting documentation that I’d say is about an inch thick,” said Sgt. Dan Ward, spokesman for the Lawrence Police Department. “It’s a very thorough accounting of all the financial transactions.”

The report was forwarded Tuesday to Douglas County Dist. Atty. Charles Branson’s office. It is not considered a public record.

Spokesmen for both the Lawrence Education Assn. and the Kansas-National Education Assn. have said former Lawrence Education Assn. President Wayne Kruse is a key suspect in the investigation.

Branson said he would ask another district attorney’s office to handle the case because Kruse’s name appeared in newspaper ads endorsing Branson’s candidacy for district attorney last year. Branson took office last month.

Attempts to contact Kruse and his attorney for comment Tuesday were unsuccessful.

Kruse was in his fifth year as LEA president when K-NEA officials realized they had not received $97,145.44 in dues deducted from its members’ paychecks between Nov. 4, 2003, and Aug. 3, 2004.

“We did everything we could to settle this in-house and avoid going to police,” said K-NEA general counsel David Schauner, who’s also on the Lawrence City Commission. “But Mr. Kruse chose not to meet with us, talk with us or respond to our letters.”

The shortfall, Schauner said, was discovered in August 2004. He and LEA officials approached police in December.

6News video: Police wrap up teacher dues case Former LEA leader hires attorney (01-14-05) 6News video: Lawyer hired by ex-LEA leader (01-13-05) Teacher suspended as dues probe continues (01-12-05) 6News video: Teacher suspended during probe (01-11-05) Teachers question missing dues (01-11-05) 6News video: Teachers have faith in LEA despite theft (01-07-05) Teachers’ union missing funds (1-7-05) 6News video: Police seek missing LEA funds (01-06-05) Kansas National Education Association

Branson declined to predict whom he would ask to take the case.

“We’re looking at some other county prosecutors’ offices that have financial-crimes units,” he said.

Asked whether the decision to file charges would take weeks or months, Branson replied: “I can’t answer that because whoever accepts it will conduct their own review of the information. They may want to send it back for additional investigation, or they may look at it and say, ‘OK, it’s all here.'”

Branson said he had not read the report.

“It’s going to be passed on without my influence,” he said.

Though Kruse’s name appeared on ads for Branson, he is not listed as a financial contributor to Branson’s campaign.

Still, Branson said, “the perception of there being a potential conflict between this case and my being district attorney is there.”

Kruse, a sixth-grade teacher at Quail Run School, was suspended with pay Jan. 11, one day after LEA notified its members of the missing money.