To the editor:

The Douglas County district attorney must transfer the case of the use of deadly force by a Lawrence police officer at a routine traffic stop to the state attorney general or a neighboring DA’s office. Only by transferring the investigation can the DA ensure to the public a transparent investigation free of any potential conflicts of interest.

Last spring, the University of Kansas School of Law hosted officers from LPD for a discussion on use of force in policing. The officers described the Lawrence Police Department as a brotherhood and spoke of family gatherings and more — and rightly so! The demands of safe policing require a close-knit and collegial environment. Yet these close bonds reflect an inherent bias when the LPD must investigate their friends and co-workers. The current investigation seems mired in just such a conflict of interest. There is no doubt that District Attorney Charles Branson and Chief Gregory Burns lead staffs of professional employees who act with the best of intentions. The DA, nevertheless, works with the LPD on a daily basis. The pursuit of truth demands that the actions of LPD be investigated by an agency outside of this local “brotherhood.”

When a minor traffic incident escalates into the shooting of an unarmed citizen, the pursuit of truth demands that transparent, unbiased parties review the LPD’s actions.