Wichita Police Department's Gang Database
Taking Action Against the Wichita Gang List
Lawsuit Settled: City of Wichita Approves Settlement in WPD Gang Case with ACLU and Kansas Appleseed
For Black and Latino folks in Wichita, equal justice under the law isn’t always possible. Wichita community members have been unconstitutionally surveilled, harassed, and explicitly punished, often without notice and cause.
The Wichita Police Department identifies people as “gang members” and places them on the Gang List without notice or due process. With the list being unavailable to the public, there’s no recourse to remove your name—even if you’re innocent.
That’s why we teamed up with the ACLU of Kansas to file a class action lawsuit against the City of Wichita. On April 9, 2024, the City of Wichita approved a settlement that will significantly reform the policy and practices of the Wichita Police Department’s (WPD) long-standing use of an unconstitutional and discriminatory “Gang List” or “Gang Database.”
Important Information to Know About Your Rights:
A settlement has been reached with the City of Wichita (“the City”) in a class action lawsuit alleging that the Wichita Police Department (“WPD”), is violating Class Members’ Fourteenth and First Amendment rights by incorrectly including them in the WPD’s Gang List/Database as gang members or gang associates. The City denies that it is violating the rights of Plaintiffs or any other Class Member. Learn more here.
- You may be part of this settlement if you are listed in the WPD’s Gang List/Database as an Active or Inactive Gang Member or Gang Associate.
- Learn more about the settlement in Progeny v. City of Wichita, how the changes to the Wichita gang list affect you, and your options. To RSVP for the Wichita Gang List Info Sessions, click here.
- To view the official court-authorized notice, please see the settlement agreement.
- Click here to access the WPD Request Form for Individual Review of Gang Database Status.
- Click here to access WPD Gang Database Status Appeal Form.
The data proves
WPD’s Gang List is discriminatory.
10.9%
10.9% of Wichita’s population is Black, yet Black residents comprise 60% of the Gang List.
17.2%
17.2% of Wichita’s population is Latinx, yet they make up 25% percent of the Gang List.
62.8%
62.8% of Wichita’s population is White, yet they only make up 6% percent of Gang List.
The City of Wichita agrees to settle Progeny v. City of Wichita, the class action lawsuit filed by Kansas Appleseed and ACLU.
The WPD was not required to inform an individual of their designation as a gang member or associate or to allow them to contest that designation. No mechanism existed for removing an individual from the Gang List–once a person was included, they remained on the List into perpetuity.
WPD’s use of the Gang List is unconstitutional and violates community members’ First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights. In April 2024, the City of Wichita approved a settlement with the ACLU and Kansas Appleseed. The settlement requires substantial changes to the ways in which the WPD can add individuals to the Gang List. These changes include:
- elimination of the “gang associates” and “inactive” gang member categories,
- mandatory notification to those added to the Gang List, and
- processes for finding out and appealing one’s status and inclusion on the Gang List.
This settlement is a victory for the residents of Wichita, and especially for our clients, whose courage drove our work.
Why We Took Action:
Before our lawsuit, WPD’s Gang Unit had unilateral and virtually unchecked power to designate Wichita residents as “gang members” or “gang associates” without reliable evidence. According to previous statute and WPD policy, you could placed on the Gang List because of:
- The color of clothing you wear.
- Where you hang out.
- Who you are photographed with.
- Several constitutionally protected behaviors.
