Aug 08, 2020

City councilman in Kan. charged with misdemeanor battery

Posted Aug 08, 2020 1:00 AM
Hamblin -photo Johnson Co. Jail
Hamblin -photo Johnson Co. Jail

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — An Overland Park City Council member who is facing a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery has been removed from the city’s public safety committee during the investigation.

Councilman Scott Hamblin, 42, was charged after police were called to his home on July 21. No injuries were reported. He is accused of “physical contact with a person, in a rude, insulting, or angry manner,” according to the criminal complaint.

Six council members on Monday called for Hamblin to resign, saying the charge could damage the board’s reputation. He said he would not step down and said allegations were being made before the incident had been thoroughly investigated.

Mayor Carl Gerlach said Thursday he removed Hamblin from the public safety committee because it oversees police department policies and would present a conflict of interest for Hamblin.

Hamblin’s wife, Curstin, said in a statement that the City Council was attempting to “score political gains from a private family matter.”

“This harassment toward my family is absolutely uncalled for,” she said.