On Nov. 1, 2021, the Lawrence Police Department requested KBI assistance after it received a report that day from a female subject alleging that an LPD officer, Jonathan M. Gardner, 41, of Tonganoxie, had sexually assaulted her while he was on duty, according to a news release Friday from the KBI. The incident is suspected to have occurred on Jan. 1, 2017.

KBI agents initiated an investigation, and the Lawrence Police Department cooperated fully with the case. Soon after “Gardner was separated from employment with the Police Department,” the release said.

On Friday morning, around 8:15, KBI agents arrested Gardner near the intersection of Smiley Road and U.S. Highway 40. The Kansas Highway Patrol assisted with the arrest.

Gardner was arrested on suspicion of one count of rape, 12 counts of unlawful acts concerning computers and 12 counts of official misconduct. The charges of official misconduct and unlawful acts with computers claim Gardner committed illegal and unauthorized searches of the Kansas Criminal Justice Information System, as well as internal police department public safety systems between 2017 and 2020.

After his arrest, Gardner was booked into the Leavenworth County Jail. He was issued a $50,000 bond, the KBI release said.

Gardner was sworn in as an LPD officer in June 2013, as the Journal-World previously reported.

Lawrence Police Chief Rich Lockhart, in a news release Friday morning, said: “I am appalled by the alleged conduct of Gardner. Those alleged actions are not consistent with the values of the department and, if true, Gardner violated the trust of the community he was sworn to serve. The conduct Gardner is accused of is not tolerated by the department. The department acted swiftly when notified of the allegation and is grateful to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation for its investigation into this matter. Most importantly, I would like to extend my appreciation to the community member who possessed the courage and bravery to come forward and report this allegation to our agency.”

Because the criminal investigation was completed by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the case is in the hands of the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office, no additional information will be provided at this time, the release from LPD said.