Kansas Commission on Civil Rights v. Howard

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Foth, C.:

The issue in this case is whether the Kansas commission on civil rights has the authority to entertain and investigate a complaint charging a city police officer with an unlawful discriminatory practice, based on the officer’s decision to arrest the com*249plainant and on the treatment afforded the complainant during the arrest and the time he is in custody.

On August 1, 1972, Wayne A. Lewis filed such a complaint with the commission, naming as respondents the Topeka police department and one of its officers. In it he identified himself as a black…