HUTCHINSON, Kan. — In a room filled with law enforcement, dispatchers and media, Hutchinson Police Chief Jeffrey Hooper and City Manager John Deardoff held a press conference to discuss the recent events involving the Hutchinson Police Department.

While few other details were given about the recent personnel matters within the department, they did take time to discuss changes that are ahead and how the department is coping with the recent events.

Deardoff gave this opening statement:

 

 

During the press conference, Hooper informed those in attendance that the incident involving an off-duty officer has led to a number of personnel changes:

Hooper says one of the three officers terminated was Capt. Troy Hoover. He was terminated Monday. The rest of the personnel matters have come over the past three days. Hooper says he is making changes to how the department is structured:

Hooper says he is also going to go through the entire policy manual in an effort to make the department more efficient:

The events of the past three days have been a challenge for the department and for the new chief who has been on the job less than two weeks. Hooper says the department will be better in the long run:

Currently, the department is working hard to bring new officers on board. The department is down 10 officers. Hooper says the Reno County Sheriff’s Department is stepping in to help fill any gaps in patrols until the open positions are filled.