With KBI investigation complete, Hays police chief discusses procedure following Aug. 18 shooting

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

A Hays Police officer who shot and killed a Hays man during a brief struggle last month in Hays will remain on paid administrative leave until a Professional Standards Investigation is completed.

After an investigation by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Ellis County Attorney Tom Drees announced Thursday that Sgt. Brandon Hauptman acted in self-defense when he shot and killed 36-year-old Joseph Weber during the Aug. 18 incident.

Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said he asked Kansas Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Mark Bruce to have the KHP’s Professional Standards Unit lead the fact-finding portion of the investigation.

Scheibler said the KHP will examine the incident reports from the KBI and review the Hays Police Department’s policy.

While the investigation conducted by the KBI and the county attorney’s office looks to see if a crime was committed, the Professional Standards Investigation will look to see “Is this is a violation of our policy, of our procedure and is there something that we can do better?” according to Scheibler.

The policy manual is based on federal and state laws and best practices, and the Hays Police Department began updating their policies in 2015. Changes must be approved by the city attorney and the city manager.

Scheibler said, as soon as the incident occurred, he contacted the KBI and asked them to lead the investigation, and Ellis County Sheriff’s Department was called in to secure the scene.

“When I called the KBI and I called the sheriff’s department, I didn’t ask them to come fix this, I didn’t ask them to come be the spokesperson for the Hays Police Department. I asked them to come investigate this as a crime and do a full and complete investigation,” Scheibler said.

“My number one priority,” he added, “was to make sure that a full and impartial investigation was done in this incident.” He said he pledged to the Weber family that day that they would find out what happened.

Through the duration of the investigation, the police department did not comment publicly on the incident, and Scheibler said that was difficult, because the department prefers to communicate and share information with the public.

“For me to say anything, I could’ve possibly interfered with their investigation or made it difficult for them to come up with that unbiased conclusion,” Scheibler said.

Following the incident, Scheibler said the department will have to work to rebuild the relationship with the community, adding he believes this is the first time almost 60 years that a member of the Hays Police Department has shot an individual.

“When this happened, I told our officers that they were going to have to be aware that people are going to say things and they are going to hear things and see things on social media,” he said. “But, overwhelmingly, the community continues to be supportive of us and say we support what you do and we appreciate what you do.”

According to Drees, during the investigation, it was determined Weber had been diagnosed with autism, anxiety disorder, intermediate explosive disorder and mild intellectual disability. Scheibler said Hays Police officers deal with special needs and disabilities on a daily basis, and he said officers with the department will continue their training to deal with those in need.

“That’s the culture of the Hays Police Department. That’s not be generated by this event,” he said.

Scheibler said they have a lot of avenues to receive training, including in Hays with High Plains Mental Health Center. The department has offered a number of courses on mental health and special needs individuals.

Among those courses were recognizing and dealing with persons with mental illness by the Mental Health America of the Heartland of Kansas City and three courses on mental health first aid instructed by High Plains Mental Health Center.

Scheibler said he told the Weber family he will support their efforts for a law that would add special needs information to vehicle registration but said he believes it must be voluntary.

Check Hays Post for more as details become available.