KCTV 5KU basketball ticket scheme embroils 2 Lawrence police officers

Two Lawrence police officers are on administrative leave after one allegedly fixed speeding tickets in exchange for University of Kansas basketball tickets.

The second officer knew about the ticket fixing but did not come forward until a criminal investigation began into the university's ticket operations, Lawrence Mayor Aron Cromwell said in a statement.

"We expect a lot more out of our officers and we get a lot more," Cromwell said. "One individual made a bad decision."

Lawrence has not released the officers' names, but Cromwell said both were veteran officers who had stellar records.

The FBI ultimately decided not to charge the officers with a crime but forwarded their information to city officials for the police department to consider taking disciplinary action.

The investigation was launched in May and the FBI reported its findings last month.

The tickets came from a man now in federal prison as part of a broader Kansas ticket scandal.

Seven university employees, including top business officials in the athletics department, were convicted in the thefts of more than 17,000 Jayhawk basketball tickets and at least 2,000 football tickets. The tickets were illegally sold to brokers and others, with the defendants pocketing the money.

This cost the university $3 million in revenue .

Neither city nor police officials would do on-camera interviews.

The police scandal is the talk of Lawrence.

"I think as a community we would like to see a little more from our police officers," said Lawrence resident Chris Lebrun.

Brandon Lutz said he was shocked by the allegations.

"I have a high regard for the Lawrence Police Department. I wouldn't have expected this," he said. "I think the fact that they confronted it right away and tried to fix it will set it right with people."

Other residents criticized the police department for not releasing more details about the officers, including what disciplinary action has been taken.

"I'm disappointed. I also feel it should be a public matter," resident Justin Lee said.

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