Opinion ID: 3154974
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Events Leading to the Arrests

Text: The SCORE Unit is a specialized, tactical component of the KCKPD, equivalent to a SWAT team. V Aplt. App. 715; X Aplt. App. 1295. Throughout the spring and summer of 2010, KCKPD received three allegations of theft from residences where SCORE had participated in executing search warrants. V Aplt. App. 717; X Aplt. App. 1297. Based on these allegations, the KCKPD planned a sting operation in collaboration with the FBI to determine the integrity of the SCORE Unit—“Operation Sticky Fingers.” V Aplt. App. 720–21; X Aplt. App. 1298. Operation Sticky Fingers involved the execution of a fictitious search 1 Officers Darrell Forrest, Jeffrey Bell, and Dustin Sillings. 2 This appeal involves three cases consolidated for appeal. Callahan v. Unified Gov’t, No. 14-3171 (individual defendants: former Police Chief Rick Armstrong, Assistant Chief Lieutenant Colonel James Brown, former Captain Greg Lawson, and former Captain Curtis Nicholson); Hammons v. Unified Gov’t, No. 14-3228 (individual defendants: Armstrong, Lawson, Nicholson, and former Major Vince Davenport); and Pittman v. Unified Gov’t, No. 14-3230 (individual defendants: Armstrong, Lawson, Nicholson, former Assistant Chief Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Steel, and former Captain Michael York). For simplicity’s sake, we refer to all individual defendants collectively as “Defendants” and all plaintiffs collectively as “Plaintiffs.” Four related but separate actions are also on appeal. Gambrill v. Unified Gov’t, No.14-3229; Gardner v. Unified Gov’t, No.14-3234; Hoang v. Unified Gov’t, No. 14-3233; and Mills v. Unified Gov’t, No. 14-3235. -3- warrant by the SCORE team at a residence monitored via live video and audio feed by Detective Jon Kelley of the KCKPD and FBI Special Agent Bob Schaefer. V Aplt. App. 729, 731; X Aplt. App. 1303, 1305. Bait items had been placed in the northwest bedroom and the basement. V Aplt. App. 729; X Aplt. App. 1303. While observing the live video, Detective Kelley was able to observe several instances of actual theft. 3 Because of the protective gear the SCORE officers were wearing, Detective Kelley could not identify which officers he observed committing theft. See V Aplt. App. 733; X Aplt. App. 1306. Therefore, he relayed his observations to Captain Lawson at another location, who would then contact Captain Nicholson, present at the residence. V Aplt. App. 732; X Aplt. App. 1305. Captain Nicholson, based on the secondhand information, would attempt to identify the officers Detective Kelley observed by going to the rooms where the thefts occurred. V Aplt. App. 732; X Aplt. App. 1305. Because the house was small and the information was delayed in getting to Captain Nicholson, it was possible for the officers to have moved around the house before Captain Nicholson could accurately identify them. X Aplt. App. 1305. After the sting, the SCORE officers returned to the parking garage at KCKPD headquarters, where KCKPD commanders arrested all the members of 3 Plaintiffs are inconsistent in the number of thefts they admit occurred. See Aplee. Br. at 1–2, 9, 11; Oral Arg., 26:22–26. We find the exact number of thefts immaterial. -4- the SCORE unit as they exited their van. V Aplt. App. 739; X Aplt. App. 1309; see Aplee. Br. at 3. It was later determined that only Officers Forrest, Bell, and Sillings were involved in the thefts. At the time, however, the extent of the thefts and the identities of the thieves remained unknown.