30 August 2023
GOODLAND, Kan. (KSNW) – Goodland is mourning the death of their police chief.
City Manager Kent Brown tells KSN News that Chief Frank Hayes Jr. died early Wednesday morning from medical complications. He was 53 years old. Hayes had been chief since September 2020, having returned to the department in 2017 and serving as a corporal.
The department posted a brief statement on Facebook offering its condolences to Chief Hayes’s family and loved ones. The city sent out the following press release:
Dear residents of the City of Goodland and the surrounding community,
It is with a heavy heart that we inform you of the passing of one of our own, Chief Frank Hayes, Jr. passed away from medical complications this morning, after dedicating his life to serving and protecting our city. He was 53 years old.
Chief Hayes, known by the community as “Frankie”, served our community with unwavering loyalty and devotion. He was not only a dedicated law enforcement officer but also a trusted friend and mentor to many in the community. His tireless effort to ensure that our city was a safe place to live, work, and raise families, is a testament to his true character and integrity.
Chief Hayes served as an officer with the Goodland Police Department from August 2003 to July 2007 and then returned to the Goodland Police Department in February 2017. Frankie Hayes was appointed as Police Chief on September 7, 2020, and was still serving the City of Goodland in that capacity.
We extend our deepest condolences to Chief Hayes’s family and loved ones during this difficult time. We also offer our condolences to his law enforcement family, who have lost one of their own. We thank Chief Hayes for his commitment and dedication to making our community a safer place, and we will remember how he always put the needs of others first in his service.
Funeral arrangements are pending.