TONGANOXIE — The American Civil Liberties of Kansas has asked for a state investigation after a black man was detained by local police while moving into his own home.
The ACLU said Thursday that Karle Robinson was held at gunpoint and handcuffed as he moved into a home he had purchased in Tonganoxie, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of Kansas City.
Robinson says police harassed him and that Tonganoxie’s police chief stopped him from filing a racial bias complaint.
Police Chief Greg Lawson says he had not seen the ACLU’s allegations and would comment later.
ACLU alleges a pervasive culture of racial bias exists in the Tonganoxie Police Department. The organization asked Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt to investigate or refer the group’s complaint to the Kansas Commission on Officers Standards and Training.
