Asked and Answered

If you have a question you’d like “Asked and Answered”, email it to LPDMedia@lkpd.org or message us on our facebook page: The Lawrence Kansas Police Department.

If I am worried about crime at my restaurant, can I offer free lunch to officers to get them to come in more?

While officers are flattered you want to give them a free lunch, they can’t accept. Officers taking free products from the public (LKPD calls them gratuities) can create an actual, or at least perceived, integrity issue. That’s why we have a policy against it. It’s the responsibility of the police to provide service equally across the community, and accepting gratuities can give the appearance of favoritism.  Instead, talk to an officer about the issues you’re facing, and the officer will be happy to help find appropriate ways to address them.

Why do I always see notices about missing teenagers on other social media pages, but rarely on the Lawrence Kansas Police Department’s social media?

Many times, teenagers are away from home voluntarily and not in immediate danger. They leave for a variety of reasons, and it’s important we know those reasons before invading their privacy. Mental health factors often contribute. The last thing we want to do is exacerbate those issues by embarrassing the teen or causing them to run further. Being a teenager is tough enough without public scrutiny. Under some circumstances, the potential benefit of posting outweighs the harm. Every circumstance is different. It’s always our goal to find them quickly and get them resources to address the factors that caused them to run away in the first place. The safety of the individual is always the strongest deciding factor.

Does LKPD have a lost and found?

Technically no, but oftentimes people return property they’ve found to us. It’s placed in our property room and can be retrieved during normal business hours from our evidence technicians. You should be prepared to show proof of ownership.