Council Member Frye no longer named in deputy chiefs’ lawsuit

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Wichita City Council Member Bryan Frye is no longer one of the people named in a lawsuit brought by three Wichita deputy chiefs.

Frye spoke out against the deputy chiefs last September after they notified the City that they intended to sue the City. Deputy Chief José Salcido and former Deputy Chiefs Chester Pinkston and Wanda Givens claim they suffered adverse employment actions connected to several cases.

Frye took a moment during a City Council meeting to call for the resignations of Salcido and Pinkston, who was still a deputy chief at the time.

“The definition of extortion — the practice of obtaining something, especially money, through force or threats. It’s mindblowing that two current deputy chiefs of the Wichita Police Department have resorted to this tactic,” Frye said.

After he said that, the attorney for the deputy chiefs added him to the lawsuit.

But last Friday, the plaintiffs and Frye agreed to a stipulation of dismissal. All claims against Frye, including statements he made at the Council meeting, were dismissed with prejudice, meaning they cannot be refiled.

Frye, currently running for Wichita mayor, said he is grateful.

“From the beginning, I have felt that the case against me lacked merit,” he said in a statement. “As of now, both the lawsuit and the City Ethics Board complaint against me have been dismissed. It is my duty as an elected official to speak on public matters. I will continue to advocate for Wichita and stand up for what is right.”

KSN News has reached out to James Thompson, the deputy chiefs’ attorney, to get more information about the dismissal. We have not heard back yet.

Thompson filed the lawsuit in February. It lists these defendants:

City of Wichita

City Manager Robert Layton

Former Human Resources Director Chris Bezruki

The Fraternal Order Of Police, Lodge No. 5, Wichita, Kansas,

Former WPD Interim Chief Troy Livingston

Former WPD Captain Kevin Kochenderfer

WPD Captain Wendell Nicholson

WPD Detective Dave Inkelaar

WPD Officer Paul Zamorano