FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE

MISSOURI STATE LODGE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BY A UNANIMOUS VOTE, THE EXECUTIVE BOARD FOR THE MISSOURI FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE CONDEMNS ACTIONS OF CHIEF KENNETH BURTON
Columbia, MO (April 25, 2012) The Executive Board for the Missouri Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), unanimously voted to condemn the actions of Columbia Police Chief Kenneth Burton for the wrongful termination of Officer Rob Sanders, an 18-year veteran of the Columbia Police Department. The condemnation vote followed a close review by the FOP Executive Board of a Columbia Police Department, Internal Affairs Bureau (IAB) report that exonerated Officer Sanders, finding that all charges were unfounded and recommended that no action be taken. Despite the positive conclusions and recommendations contained in the 39-page report, Chief Burton wrongfully and unilaterally terminated Officer Sanders. The ten members of the Executive Board have tremendous experience in reviewing Internal Affairs reports, explained FOP president, Kevin Ahlbrand. To a man we found Chief Burtons actions to be reprehensible and for this reason we took the unusual step of formally condemning Chief Burtons actions. The Executive Board for the Missouri Fraternal Order of Police had never previously held a condemnation vote. The Executive Board of the FOP is comprised of ten police officers with a cumulative total of nearly 300 years of policing experience. The Executive Board is comprised of: Detective Sergeant Kevin Ahlbrand, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Sergeant Rick Inglima, Lees Summit Police Department Officer Richard Kohnen, Florissant Police Department Sergeant Greg Wheelen, Springfield Police Department Sergeant Butch Albert, St. Louis County Police Department Detective Mark Edwards, Jefferson City Police Department Detective Ron Orr, Kansas City Police Department Lieutenant Mike Lawzano, Hannibal Police Department (Retired) Officer Tommy Mayer, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Sergeant Bill Albertson, Buchanon County Sheriffs Department For more information, contact: MO FOP President Kevin Ahlbrand, 314-452-3752

715 JEFFERSON ST. JEFFERSON CITY, MO 65101 573-632-4209 1-800-752-5707 FAX 573-632-4211 www.mofop.org