Clay County Sheriff’s Office Awarded National Accreditation

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office was awarded national accreditation on March 22 by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in the law enforcement program.

“This achievement comes after years of work to ensure our policies and practices meet the highest standards possible,” Sheriff Will Akin said.

The accreditation follows a multi-year assessment phase and a meticulous site-based assessment of community engagement, policy, procedures, equipment and facilities by CALEA. Sheriff Will Akin and the Sheriff’s Office’s Accreditation Unit attended the CALEA conference in Garden Grove, Calif., last week. They went before CALEA’s 21-member Board of Commissioners, which reviewed their findings to determine agencies’ accreditation status.

CALEA President Marlon Lynch and Executive Director Craig Hartley awarded the Clay County Sheriff’s Office with accreditation, signifying excellence in public safety and commitment to community. This is the Sheriff’s Office’s first award of national accreditation.

The Sheriff’s Office now moves into CALEA’s four-year accreditation cycle that includes four annual remote, web-based file reviews and a site-based assessment in the fourth year.

“This award of accreditation does not come easy,” CALEA President Lynch said. “Agencies must go through a rigorous review and evaluation of their organization and then implement the necessary policy and procedure changes. The process does not stop at that point. By voluntarily choosing to seek CALEA accreditation, the agency commits to an ongoing review of adherence to CALEA’s standards. Each community with CALEA accredited agencies should feel confident that their public safety organization is going above and beyond and operating under the highest standards in public safety.”

The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., (CALEA®) was created in 1979 as a credentialing authority through the joint efforts of law enforcement's major executive associations: International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP); National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE); National Sheriffs' Association (NSA); and the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF).

KPGZ News – Sarah Boyd contributed to this story.

Clay County Deputies Assist in Capture of Homicide Suspect

A coordinated effort between local law enforcement agencies, assisted by cutting-edge technology, led to the arrest of a homicide suspect from Ray County.

In the early morning hours of March 20, the Ray County Sheriff's Office had a critical piece of information—a license plate number—related to a suspect who fled the scene of a deadly shooting in the rural Lawson area. Ray County Sheriff's Office quickly broadcasted this information over the radio to neighboring agencies, including the Clay County Sheriff's Office.

Dispatchers immediately entered the license plate into Clay County's Flock camera system, a network of license plate-reading cameras strategically placed throughout the county. The system is designed to alert law enforcement when a specific plate is detected.

As a result, Clay County deputies were notified that the suspect’s vehicle was headed toward Liberty. The Liberty Police Department located the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop. However, the driver refused to pull over and fled the scene, prompting Clay County deputies to take over the pursuit.

With the help of the Kansas City Missouri Police Department, who deployed a tire deflation device, the suspect's vehicle was eventually brought to a stop. The suspect drove off 152 Highway near Maplewoods Parkway and got stuck. Deputies swiftly took the individual into custody without further incident.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is also assisting the Ray County Sheriff's Office with the ongoing homicide investigation.

"This is a great example of how teamwork, technology, and coordination between agencies make our communities safer," read a Clay County Sheriff's Office social media post. "By working together, we were able to track and capture a suspect who is now facing serious charges."

The Clay County Sheriff's Office, along with the Liberty Police Department and other local agencies, continues to work in collaboration with Ray County and the Missouri State Highway Patrol to support the ongoing investigation.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Woman in Custody After Fleeing Deputies

Katherine A. Donohoe

A woman is in custody following a dangerous vehicle pursuit on Saturday afternoon that nearly resulted in a collision with a man attending a birthday party. Katherine A. Donohoe, 48, has been charged with felony aggravated fleeing from a stop (a violation of Valentine’s Law) and is being held on a $75,000 bond.

The incident began around 4 pm on March 15, when a deputy observed an SUV with a fake temporary tag near 210 Highway and Searcy Creek Parkway. Before attempting to stop the vehicle, the deputy witnessed the SUV running a stop sign and driving southbound in the northbound lanes of Searcy Creek Parkway. The vehicle eventually corrected its course, but when the deputy initiated a traffic stop, the driver sped off, frequently driving in the wrong lanes.

The pursuit continued until the deputy lost sight of the SUV near a paintball and laser tag business at 9300 Underground Drive. A bystander, however, provided directions to where the vehicle had gone. The deputy found the SUV crashed in the woods, but the driver was nowhere to be found.

With the help of additional deputies, Donohoe was located walking on Underground Drive and taken into custody. She was treated for minor injuries. According to the bystander, Donohoe’s vehicle nearly struck him as he was retrieving pizzas for a nearby birthday party. The SUV swerved, hitting a gate before overturning in the woods. Fortunately, there were many vehicles in the business parking lot at the time, but no one was injured.

Further investigation revealed that Donohoe did not have a valid driver's license. She remains in custody at the Detention Center awaiting further legal proceedings.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Sheriff’s Office Hosts Bike Rodeo and Safety Fair

The Clay County Sheriff's Office, with help from Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, Liberty Fire Department and Bike Walk KC, is holding a bike rodeo and safety fair in April. The event will have safety information for young riders plus refreshments, displays, and giveaways.

Event participants will have a chance to meet and visit with Clay County Sheriff's Office deputies and Liberty Fire Department personnel, as well as learn the ABC's of bicycle riding and rules of the road.

The bike rodeo will also have an obstacle course, bicycle inspections. drug awareness trailer and Hidden in Plain Sight walk through display. Kids can bring their own bike or borrow one of Bike Walk KC's bikes (for grades 3 to 6).

Free helmets and free donuts and bottled water will be available while supplies last. New bikes will be raffled off for those present at the event

The bike rodeo and safety fair will take place on Saturday, April 5, from 10 am to noon at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, 1600 N. State 291, Liberty, Mo. This event is free to the public.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Deputies Arrest Fentanyl Dealer After Pursuit, Fire

Clay County Sheriff’s deputies were able to arrest a man for multiple violations after he fled in a stolen vehicle and on foot on Friday, Feb. 28.

Deputies identified a stolen vehicle on 69 Highway in Mosby, prompting a pursuit when the driver refused to stop. The chase ended near the hotel at the entrance to Industrial Drive near North Church Road in Liberty, where the driver veered off the road and fled on foot. The passengers in the vehicle remained at the scene and cooperated with law enforcement.

Employees from nearby businesses assisted deputies by pointing them in the direction the suspect had run. With support from the Liberty, Missouri Police Department, officers located and safely apprehended him.

However, as he fled, the stolen vehicle caught fire. The Liberty Fire Department responded quickly and put out the fire. No injuries were reported from the fire.

One of the passengers later revealed that he had met up with the driver, Johnny J. Peguero-Taveras, to purchase fentanyl and other drugs. Peguero-Taveras now faces felony charges for fleeing from law enforcement and tampering with a vehicle. Authorities also discovered he has outstanding warrants in multiple counties.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.