On Monday the Tribune learned of a joint article published by Kansas City media outlet KCUR and Wired.com involving internal documents hacked from the Kansas City Kansas Police Department during a ransomware attack in May 2024. Within that article Great Bend Chief of Police Steven Haulmark’s name was mentioned as being included on the department’s Brady/Giglio list or Brady Disclosure list, a document revealed in the cyberattack. 

The document maintained by his former employer was called the Veracity Disclosure List internally, but is often referred to by two Supreme Court rulings which requires prosecutors to disclose any exculpatory or impeachment information to the defense that might cast doubt on the accuracy or credibility of their witnesses, including law enforcement officers.

In response to the article Haulmark says the issues that are more than 20 years old, do not reflect poorly on his long career in law enforcement.

The memo includes 62 names of current and former officers and the details of misconduct, allegations which range from incompetence to domestic violence, that warranted their inclusion on the list. Officers whose credibility has been called into question by the department — those whose honesty or reliability may be compromised and whose involvement in criminal cases, whether through testimony, arrests, or investigations, could potentially jeopardize prosecutions.

The hacked documents have been published by a nonprofit transparency group called Distributed Denial of Secrets but access to the documents is restricted to journalists and researchers, in addition to defense attorneys practicing in Kansas City, Kansas. The Tribune has not yet received access to the trove of documents.

According to the KCUR/Wired article, “Some officers were quickly fired for misconduct, only to be reinstated. Others on the list have since taken positions with nearby law enforcement agencies. Officer Steven Haulmark’s disciplinary file includes a long history of misconduct investigations, some of which were sustained, including improper home searches. According to his record, he was terminated by the department in 2003 but was later reinstated. He now serves as the chief of police in Great Bend, Kansas.”

Haulmark did not respond to a request for comment to the previously published article. 

However, Chief Haulmark did release a statement to the Tribune when asked if he was aware of the article.

“I am aware of the release of a recent story referencing a disciplinary matter from 2003 during my tenure with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department, where I served for 25 years.

As with any large organization, the KCKPD maintains internal disciplinary procedures to address matters involving policy compliance. In 2003, I was the subject of such a process and received a suspension. This incident took place more than two decades ago. Since that time, I have continued to serve the law enforcement profession with dedication and professionalism, earning multiple promotions and serving in a variety of assignments within the KCKPD prior to joining the Great Bend Police Department in 2021.

The information cited in the article was derived from personnel records that were unlawfully obtained through a cyberattack targeting my former employer. 

I take great pride in my three decades of public service, including nearly five years as Chief of Police for the City of Great Bend. My commitment to integrity, accountability, and the continued strengthening of community trust remains steadfast and unwavering.

Respectfully,

Steven A. Haulmark”

When discussing names on the list of what many would consider bad cops, retired KCKPD Detective Max Seifert told the Tribune in a phone interview that what stuck out to him were the names he didn’t see, names of officers that according to him should have been on the list and potentially should have been prosecuted for their misconduct. But, he was surprised by some of the names of officers that were included, officers he considered good or trustworthy. Names, he said, like Chief Haulmark.

Seifert was a uniformed detective when Haulmark was a patrol officer working in the projects of Kansas City, Kansas. 

“I always found him to be reliable and steady partner,” Seifert said of Haulmark during their overlapping tenure. Seifert worked for KCKPD from 1975 until 2005 when he took an early retirement after what he describes as a falling out of favor when he refused to manufacture a case against a suspect, orders from up above. Haulmark worked for the department from 1996 until 2021, first as a Police Patrolman through multiple promotions to Assistant Chief, before he left to join the Great Bend Police Department as Chief of Police. 

Seifert also questioned whether Haulmark’s former supervisor, current US Marshal for the District of Kansas Ron Miller, objected to his change in employment when accepting the position with GBPD.

In the five years since Haulmark’s hiring several members of the review panel tasked with hiring the new chief are no longer on the city council and others were not aware of the article. 

City Councilman Gary Parr was not on the council when Haulmark was hired but said he does not see the relevance of the KCUR/Wired story, because it is about something that happened 22 years ago.

“There is no reason to throw mud at the wall,” Parr said.

Haulmark was written up 22 years ago and then he worked his way up through the rank and file to his current position in administration.

“I think he’s done a great job,” Parr continued, “he is doing a great job and I don’t understand the relevance of something done over two decades ago.”

Parr said he came on the council in January of 2025 ready to ask questions, including questions many others in the community are asking him. He has not heard concerns about Chief Haulmark.

The KCUR story, “Hack exposes Kansas City, Kansas Police’s secret officer misconduct list,” can be found online here.