KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A former Kansas City Police Captain will not be charged following an investigation into a ride-along with U.S. Senate candidate Eric Greitens.
A special prosecutor determined Capt. David Loar did not break any laws when he provided the ride-along during a shift while he wore a KCPD uniform. The prosecutor also determined Loar didn’t know Greitens’ campaign planned to record video of it.
Questions arose about the ride-along in April after a Greitens campaign video used it as its backdrop.
Missouri law bans law enforcement from endorsing or working for political candidates while on the job.
According to the investigator’s report, Loar notified his supervisors about Greitens’ request and received permission for the ride-along.
The report also found Greitens signed a waiver and noted the reason for the ride-along was to get a “frontline understanding of challenges facing KCPD.”
Greitens’ campaign then shot video while standing in front of Loar’s unmarked patrol vehicle before the ride-along started. The U.S. Senate candidate’s campaign also recorded video of the patrol vehicle pulling away with the emergency lights activated, according to the special prosecutor.
The report shows Greitens posted that video on YouTube with a logo of “Greitens U.S. Senate.” Greitens also posted a short video about the ride-along on Twitter.
Other officers and sergeants who were at the patrol station at the time of the ride-along confirmed there was never any request from Greitens’ campaign to shoot video in or around the police car, according to the special prosecutor’s report.
When KCPD became aware of the YouTube and Twitter posts, they requested that Greitens remove the campaign videos. The Greitens campaign complied with the request.
A Kansas City police investigator requested to interview Greitens, his camerman, and other staff members who were with him at the time of the ride-along, but the investigator said those requests were ignored or declined.
Loar is the son of Kansas City Councilwoman Teresa Loar.
His last day with the Kansas City Police Department was June 12. A KCPD spokesperson said Loar worked for the department for 26 years.
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