TOPEKA — A former Ellsworth resident who headed the Kansas Highway Patrol and his next in command unexpectedly stepped down last month amid allegations of misconduct.

In a statement released on March 28, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced both KHP Superintendent Col. Mark Bruce, formerly of Ellsworth, and Assistant Superintendent Lt. Col. Randy Moon, who Bruce appointed four years ago, decided to leave the agency.

Both had been with the KHP since the 1980s.

Kelly named former Shawnee County Sheriff Herman Jones to replace Bruce as superintendent.

Jones, a former state trooper, assumed the role on April 3.

Bruce was appointed to the superintendent’s role in January 2015 by Gov. Sam Brownback, following a lengthy KHP career that began in 1989. After spending seven years as a trooper in Riley and Linn counties, Bruce quickly rose through the ranks soon after moving to the patrol’s general headquarters in Topeka.

In only 15 years, Bruce went from a sergeant responsible for revising and developing agency policies and responding to public inquiries to eventually taking on the task of overseeing all KHP operations as superintendent.

Bruce graduated from Ellsworth High School and later joined the Kansas Air National Guard in 1985. After completing basic, he went on to receive specialized administrative and law enforcement training during his military career.

Anonymous letter

The same day Kelly announced the departures, WIBW in Topeka reported how state officials received an anonymous letter, claiming alleged sexual misconduct and a domestic violence incident — each involving one of the highway patrol’s top two officials.

The letter also reportedly questioned why the KHP allowed the conduct to continue.

Among the claims in the letter was a domestic violence incident in December involving an officer. Information in the later detailed how the officer’s girlfriend had her arm broken during a weekend trip to an Excelsior Springs, Mo., hotel. According to the letter, the woman told officers the incident occurred after her boyfriend shoved her into a wall during an argument.

Both were reportedly intoxicated at the time of the incident, the letter stated. It also alleged the man involved in the incident left the hotel before police arrived, and the woman later denied her previous statements to responding officers.

The Topeka Capital-Journal filed an open records request with the Excelsior Springs Police Department regarding reports involving Moon. In response, the newspaper received an incident report regarding the investigation of an alleged domestic violence incident at The Elms Resort in Excelsior Springs. Although the names of the victim and suspect were redacted, the report was provided in response to The Capital-Journal’s records request. No charges were filed following the investigation, the newspaper reported the same day Bruce and Moon resigned.

The letter also alleges Bruce attempted to cover up agency misconduct, WIBW reported.

The Topeka television station also reported the governor’s office received a copy of the letter.

A day after the resignations were announced, The Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter asked the governor’s office if Kelly received the same letter, and if officials knew of other recipients.

Ashley All, a spokesperson for the governor’s office, issued a statement, but did not directly address those questions.

“Thursday, Col. Bruce and Lt. Col. Moon were placed on administrative leave effective immediately and each submitted their letters of resignation effective Saturday, April 6.

“We cannot comment more on these personnel issues, except to say that information came to light regarding some longstanding management issues at the highway patrol, and as a result, it became clear new leadership was needed.”

The newspaper also asked Kansas Bureau of Investigation officials if the agency was looking into any misconduct or criminal matters related to the recent KHP shake-up.

Melissa Underwood, communications director for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, said the KBI had only recently conducted a background investigation on Bruce, and would not comment further.

“Pursuant to a request from the office of the governor, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation recently conducted a background investigation of now former Kansas Highway Patrol Col. Mark Bruce when he was the appointee for superintendent of the highway patrol,” Underwood said.

“The KBI has statutory responsibility to conduct background investigations of gubernatorial appointees, and many other public officials subject to Senate confirmation. This background investigation is now closed. According to statute, the information in these background investigations must remain confidential, so we will release no further information related to this matter.”

According to the same state law, the details of the background investigation are available to the governor’s office and the state attorney general.

However, when asked if the Kansas Attorney General’s Office was officially investigating any misconduct or criminal matters related to Bruce’s resignation, CJ Grover, an office spokesperson, would not comment, and instead, referred questions to the governor’s office.

Law enforcement training

In Kansas, all law enforcement officers are certified once they successfully complete required training and meet necessary standards.

That training is overseen by the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training, or KSCPOST for short. The 12-member commission not only oversees lawenforcement training in the state, but ensures all lawenforcement officers are qualified, well-trained professionals.

Another function of the committee is adopting and enforcing professional standards.

While law enforcement agencies have their own methods of conducting internal investigations, said Gary Steed, KSCPOST executive director, the commission performs a regulatory function.

“We investigate violations of the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Act,” Steed said. “Our investigations are administrative and related only to the officer’s certification to be a law enforcement officer. We do not conduct criminal or personnel investigations.”

However, the commission does have special investigators used to determine an officer’s eligibility for certification. If an officer is found to have violated the state training act, and an investigation is conducted, the results of the probe are presented to the commission for possible action, including suspension, revocation or reprimand. Violations range from failing to meet annual training requirements to engaging in actions that, if charged as a crime, would be considered either a felony or a misdemeanor domestic violence offense. Misdemeanors which provide a better look at an officer’s honesty, integrity or competency, as well as unprofessional conduct, are also considered violations.

Once a decision is made, the commission posts the names and agencies of disciplined officers as well as the status of their certification on its website.

Once an officer leaves an agency, Steed said, officials are required to notify KSCPOST of the change in employment. If an officer is terminated, agency officials are also required to complete a report explaining the circumstances related to the resignation or dismissal.

Capt. Eric Pippin heads the KHP’s Professional Standards Unit, which investigates serious misconduct complaints involving agency personnel. Pippin confirmed the KHP is also required to notify KSCPOST like any other agency.

“Anytime an employee separates, or there’s a change in employment, a form is submitted,” he said. “So yes, Mark Bruce would have a form submitted.”

Information is removed

Less than 24 hours after the resignations were announced, any evidence of Bruce and Moon’s ties to the KHP were already wiped from the agency website. Similar information was also inaccessible on the State of Kansas website.

At the time Bruce was appointed superintendent in 2015, his successor, Jones, was one of two finalists for the job.