KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Four Overland Park police officers resigned from the department Friday amid an investigation into the officers' involvement in the Overland Park Police Officers Foundation.
The officers — Brandon Faber, Brad Heater, Rachel Scattergood and Tim Tinnin — have been on administrative leave since May 2022, according to a news release from the city of Overland Park.
There was no settlement or resignation agreement with the officers, the city said.
Their resignations were not accepted in lieu of termination, but came after the city began its own investigation into officers and the foundation, according to the city's statement.
That investigation was ongoing when the officers resigned.
Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe's office conducted a 16-month investigation into the foundation.
The probe began in May 2022.
Howe said in a news conference last month no charges would be filed, but problems with the foundation's handling of money were found.
“There can be little argument that the actions the former board members took were questionable and breached the trust of both the public and the patrons they solicited from,” Howe said. “The available evidence, however, does not support prosecution for theft beyond a reasonable doubt for the reasons outlined in this report.”
The district attorney's office interviewed more than 50 people, including 26 police personnel and subpoenaed more than a dozen financial institutions.
The foundation's board expressed consternation with Howe's decision.
"We are disappointed with Mr. Howe’s decision not to pursue criminal charges and the length of time it took his office to reach the decision," Vanessa M. Riebli said in a statement after Howe announced his decision. "We believe the independent audit conducted by Financial Forensics, Inc. highlighted former board members’ willful and repeated use of Foundation funds for their own personal use and self-interest."
Riebli worked for many years in the Johnson County District Attorney's Office before going into private practice.
She is running against Howe in next year's election.
Financial Forensics said in a news release after Howe's announcement their "examination was "constrained by lack of records that should have been provided by the prior board."
Those records included "board of director meeting minutes, treasurer reports, as well as bank records."
The investigation also revealed an annual audit required to be presented to the FOP was never made by the foundation since it was created in 2016.
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