20 February 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – The City of Topeka has announced that it has hired an internal investigator Monday.
Gretchen Spiker, a spokeswoman for the City of Topeka, reports that Alicia Guerrero-Chavez has been hired to fill the role of internal investigator. This will be an expansion upon what was the independent police auditor position.
Guerrero-Chavez’s role is to investigate internal and external complaints related to all city departments, employees and services along with police-related matters.
“With this position, we will be able to more broadly enhance city investigations as a whole, allowing us to ensure we are serving our community and our employees at the level they deserve,” said Topeka City Manager Stephen Wade. “Alicia comes to the City of Topeka with a wealth of knowledge and experience in this area, and we are delighted to have her on board.”
Guerrero-Chavez has ten years of experience in investigation work, along with experience in risk management, according to Spiker. She has a Juris Doctor from Washburn University’s School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University. Guerrero-Chavez is a past Topeka “Top 20 Under 40” Honoree and is active with the Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish.
To reach out to the internal investigator’s office, send an email to [email protected] or call 785-368-3763. The office can be found in City Hall.
The Office of the Independent Police Auditor (IPA) was created with the purpose of auditing the Professional Standards Unit (PSU) investigations of citizen complaints alleging misconduct and/or improper service by the city’s police and all use of force reports, according to the City of Topeka’s website. The goal of this type of civilian oversight is to build confidence and transparency in the complaint process. The auditor independently reviews investigations conducted by PSU for the purpose of determining if the investigation was complete, thorough, objective and fair.
Former City Manager Brent Trout announced in 2019 that he had authorized the creation of the independent police auditor.