By ROD ZOOK and NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A former Hutchinson police lieutenant has been arrested on suspicion of 24 different counts including rape, kidnapping and sexual battery.
A press conference was held Wednesday afternoon concerning 51-year-old Todd Wade Allen, who was booked into the Reno County Correctional Facility on a bond of $250,000.
"When I came into the agency in 2018, shortly thereafter, within three weeks, we had a sexual assault that occurred in one of our parks here in the city of Hutchinson," police chief Jeff Hooper said. "At that time, I was notified by my staff that assault was related to a series of assaults that had been occurring in the city of Hutchinson since 2012. I was also made aware that, to that point, the police department had not released any details to the public. On November 6, 2018, I held a press conference in reference to the series of sexual assaults that were occurring in our community, mostly designed to alert the public of potential dangers to our community and safety precautions they could take, should they encounter another incident that was similar."
It was soon after that 2018 press conference that Allen resigned voluntarily from the department.
"Here most recently, we started having a series of prowler calls and window peeping calls that were occurring in Hutchinson. That information was passed along to our special operations bureau and, more specifically, to our criminal intelligence unit, who set out information in regard to certain patterns of crime, and particular ways that we thought we could combat those prowler calls and window peeping calls," Hooper said.
It was after one of those calls that Allen was detained and questioned. That prompted the department to put the incidents together.
"I am appalled and disgusted that somebody who is a suspect in these type of crimes and this type of behavior ever wore the uniform and this badge that I am honored to pin on my chest every day," Hooper said. "But, I am very proud of this administration and all the men and women that diligently worked on these cases over the last decade and who, today, brought Mr. Allen to justice."
The potential counts include five counts of rape, two counts of kidnapping, nine counts of aggravated sexual battery and five counts of breach of privacy.
Reno County District Attorney Tom Stanton reminded the media at Wednesday's press conference that the arrest is just that, and that any suspect has to be dealt with through the justice system and is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Below is press conference video from Wednesday...
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