The city of Independence has acknowledged entering into a separation agreement with a former top Independence Police Department official but is refusing to release the document, saying state law allows certain personnel records to remain private. The admission follows public records requests and comes as the department continues a national search for a new police chief.
What the city disclosed
City officials confirmed that former Deputy Chief Jason Petersen has a separation agreement with the city after his retirement in June. The city declined to provide the agreement or related records to reporters, citing a provision of Missouri’s Sunshine Law that permits withholding certain personnel records from public disclosure.
Petersen retired at the same time as Deputy Chief Michelle Sumstad, leaving the department without its two highest-ranking commanders under Interim Police Chief Doug Brinkley. The city announced it would not refill those positions until a new chief is selected.
Legal questions and related litigation
The Petersen disclosure arrives amid litigation over the release of a separate separation agreement: former Police Chief Adam Dustman has a similar agreement that the city has also resisted releasing. Dustman has received more than $100,000 from the city since his public resignation in August of last year, according to reporting.
The Star sought records related to the departures of both Petersen and Sumstad. The city said the records were exempt from disclosure under the Sunshine Law section that covers personnel matters.
“Her retirement was ‘not voluntary,’”
That characterization came from an attorney representing Sumstad, who previously told The Star her retirement was not voluntary. At the time Petersen and Sumstad left the department, Petersen did not respond to requests for comment.
Why residents should care
For Independence residents, the sealing of separation agreements involving senior police leaders raises several practical concerns: continuity and stability of police leadership, the public’s right to understand how taxpayer funds are being used, and the degree of transparency in personnel decisions at City Hall.
- Leadership vacuum: The simultaneous departures of two deputy chiefs can affect department operations and planning while a new chief is recruited.
- Financial transparency: The city has paid more than $100,000 to a former chief, a fact already reported; undisclosed agreements make it harder for residents to assess the full fiscal impact.
- Public trust: Withholding records under the personnel exemption fuels public questions about whether exemptions are being used appropriately.
City Hall’s position relies on a specific provision of Missouri’s Sunshine Law that allows certain personnel records to be closed. That statutory exemption has been the basis for denying access to the documents requested by The Star and others seeking details about the circumstances of the departures and any financial terms included in separation agreements.
What remains unclear
Key details that remain undisclosed include the specific terms of Petersen’s separation agreement, whether it included severance or other payouts, and the circumstances that led to both deputy chiefs leaving at the same time. The city has not publicly detailed the internal review, if any, that preceded the retirements.
| Official | Status | City response |
|---|---|---|
| Jason Petersen | Retired (June) | City confirmed existence of a separation agreement but declined to release it |
| Michelle Sumstad | Retired (June) | City declined to release records; attorney said retirement was not voluntary |
| Adam Dustman | Resigned (Aug., prior year) | City has paid more than $100,000; similar agreement under dispute in litigation |
City leaders have also said the department will not immediately fill the deputy chief posts until a new police chief is hired. The vacancy and the search for a chief are ongoing.
Transparency advocates and residents who want more information about how city employees are separated from service may watch this case closely. The legal interpretation of the Sunshine Law exemption for personnel records will likely determine how much of the city’s actions are visible to the public going forward.
Requests for comment to the city and to those named in the records have met with limited responses so far. As the search for a permanent police chief continues, the outcomes of related lawsuits and any forthcoming city disclosures could shape public understanding of the recent leadership changes at the Independence Police Department.
