KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A former Kansas City, Kan., police officer is in custody after he was indicted by a federal grand jury.
The charges stem from threatening his former chief and a police captain.
John D. Hudson resigned from the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department a couple years ago after 15 years as an officer. Twice during the past 13 months, investigators say he made threats.
The four count federal indictment was filed Wednesday. The defendant was arrested Thursday.
Count one claims in Feb. 2012, Hudson told someone the Kansas City, Kan., Police Chief and other officers were “black rats” who would be “eliminated.”
The indictment says the threat was in retaliation against chief Rick Armstrong for information he gave to the FBI relating to possible civil rights violations.
Count two says Hudson again threatened the chief and other officers this March when he said he would “start taking them out one by one.”
Counts three and four of the federal indictment are for the same threats, but specifically name the intended target as Captain Greg Lawson.
Hudson also referred to Lawson as one of the “black rats” who would be “eliminated.”
Hudson has been critical of the department with the way commanders handled a swat team investigation that began in Jan. 2011 after a joint sting operation between the FBI and Kansas City, Kan., police. Four officers eventually pleaded guilty, several other members were never charged.
Hudson was also a high ranking member of the fraternal order of police during that time.
He is due to make an appearance in federal court Friday morning.
The police department has a standard practice of not commenting on pending litigation.
Hudson couldn’t be reached for comment because he is in federal custody.
