Police Organization | City of Independence, MO

Chief Adam Dustman

Deputy Chief Michelle Sumstad

Field Operations Bureau

Deputy Chief Jason Petersen

Operations Support Bureau

The Independence Police Department consists of two bureaus and four divisions. The Field Operations Bureau is comprised of the Patrol, Investigations and Special Operations Divisions. The Operations Support Bureau is comprised of the Administrative and Support Services Division. By using the links to the left, you will find more information about each division.

The more than 300 men and women of the Independence Police Department make up a full-service law enforcement agency serving the needs of all who live in, work in, and visit Missouri’s fifth largest city. Of this number, 230 are commissioned police officers. Field officers are comprised of personnel from the Patrol, Traffic, S.W.A.T., Canine Unit, and Community Services Unit. Other officers are assigned to specialized units that includes the Investigations Unit, Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), Street Crimes Unit, and School Resource Officers (SRO).

The police department is the largest of the 18 City departments. The 2021-2022 operating budget is $38,541,257, of that, 33,155,226 or about 42% is allocated from the City General Fund. This fund does not include the Water, Power & Light, and Water Pollution Control departments. The other $5 Million is comprised of Sales Tax, Use Tax and Grant Funds. 83% of our operating budget pays for salary and benefits, 4% covers retiree health insurance, with the remaining 13 % used for operating costs. Nearly 30 positions are funded wholly or in part by outside funding sources to provide specialized services in schools, neighborhoods and the business community.

We are charged with providing a wide variety of community-oriented services including the preservation of peace and order, enforcement of the law and ordinances, prevention and suppression of crime, detection and apprehension of violators of all laws and ordinances, incarceration of those sentenced to detention for municipal ordinance convictions or those awaiting formal charges from the state or federal level, and to perform other duties relating to public peace, order and safety.