Police

You can make a police report for incidents or accidents that happen within Merriam city limits.  

File a Report

• Call 9-1-1 or contact non-emergency dispatch at 913-782-0720. An officer will come to your location to take your report if it's within Merriam city limits. 
• Come to the Merriam Police Department where a police officer or community service officer can take your report. 
• Call the Merriam Police Department at 913-322-5560. A police officer or community service officer will determine whether you need to come to the department.

Reporting Car Accidents

It's Kansas law to file an accident report immediately if:

• You're a driver involved in a crash resulting in injury or death of any person.
• Total property damage is $1,000 or more. 

Minor Accidents 

If there are no injuries, or property damage is less than $1,000, the dispatcher may have you come to the station to complete your report. Make sure you have to your registration papers, drivers license, and proof of insurance for your vehicle. 

Get Copies of a Police or Accident Report

You can get a copy of a report at the Merriam Police Department. Individual reports are usually accessible within 5 to 7 business days from the date of issue. To retrieve a copy of your report, you will be asked to provide the following: 

• Name 
• Address 
• Phone Number 
• Case Number 

You may be charged a small fee for the copy. There is no charge for victims to receive a copy of an incident report. 

Fees for Reports

• DVD's and Videos - $15
• DUI Reports - 25 cents per page
• Research Fee - $25 per hour
• Digital Photos - Free
• All Other Reports - $5

Find Car Accident Reports Online

You can find car accident reports online using your last name, date of accident, and report number. There is a $5 fee for this service. 

Find Accident Report

Please call 913-322-5560 or email police@merriam.org for more information.

If you've been the victim of a crime, it's important to report it. We know that it’s sometimes not easy to come forward, but if no one reports a crime, the criminal is free to commit more crime, damaging more communities and people. 

How do I report a crime? 

• Call 9-1-1 if it's an emergency, lives are in danger, or a crime is in progress.
• For non-emergencies, stop by the Merriam Police Department to report the crime or call the Johnson County Sheriff's Dispatch at 913-782-0720 to have an officer come to your location. 

You’ll receive a case number that you can use to keep up-to-date about your case and to use if you file an insurance claim. 

Reporting a crime anonymously

Please call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS if you would like to report a crime anonymously. You won't be required to give your name, sign any kind of statement, or appear in court – all you have to do is provide information about the crime.

The hotline is run by Kansas City Crime Commission, a completely independent organization dedicated to making the Kansas City metropolitan area a safer, more secure place to live, do business and visit, by supporting law-enforcement and justice agencies and their causes.

The following is a list of fees charged for reports and other services: 

• DVD's and Videos - $15
• DUI Reports - 25 cents per page
• Fingerprints - Free if you work or live in Merriam, $15 non-residents
• Research Fee - $25 per hour
• Digital Photos - Free
• All Other Reports - $5
• Criminal History Check (Merriam activity only) - $5
• Car Seat Installation Checks - Free

Fingerprinting and car seat installation services are by appointment only, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call our community service officer at 913-322-5581 to schedule.

Pet Services and Animal Ordinances

We partner with Humane Society of Greater Kansas City to provide our community with lost and found pet services.

Lost a pet in Merriam? Contact Humane Society of Greater Kansas City at 913-596-1000 and complete the Lost Pet form to alert us about your missing pet.

Report Lost Pet

Found a dog in Merriam? Contact the Merriam Police Department at 913-322-5560 during business hours or dispatch at 913-782-0720 after hours.

The Merriam Police Department isn't accepting any stray cats for impound, but officers can help you attempt to locate the owner of a lost cat.

Merriam Animal Ordinances 

• Residents are not allowed to have more than three dogs or three cats. 
• All dogs and cats six months or older must be licensed. Licenses are valid for one year and run concurrent with the dates of your rabies vaccination. License applications are available and must be filled out and returned along with proper licensing fee and a copy of the current rabies vaccination receipt from your veterinarian's office. Please call 913-322-5500 for more information on pet registration or license renewal.
• All dogs must be walked on a leash. This includes while in residential neighborhoods, City parks, on apartment common grounds, along public walking trails, etc.
• Animals may not be left unattended in vehicles for extended periods of time. The vehicle must be properly ventilated and the animal must have water. 
• Dogs must be confined to the owner/keeper’s yard, unless the owner/keeper is outside, monitoring the animal on the property. 
• Dogs that are maintained outdoors must have access to proper shelter, food, and water. 
• It's unlawful for any person to fail to clean up after their animal, if the animal defecates on public property or property owned by another person. 
• Neighbors may sign citations for excessive barking, which is disturbing their peace. 
• Per the City’s leash law, it's unlawful for any animal to run uncontrolled or to disturb persons by chasing, charging, barking, growling, or biting. The leash law doesn't apply to cats. 

You may be issued a ticket if you don't comply with these ordinances. A complete list of Merriam's animal ordinances can be found in chapter eight of Merriam's Municipal Code. 

For more information regarding the City’s animal ordinances, contact the Merriam Police Department at 913-322-5560, or for questions regarding the licensing procedure contact the City Clerks’ Office at 913-322-5500.

The Department of Homeland Security defines an active shooter as an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area. In the wake of recent national tragedies involving active shooters, the Merriam Police Department would like to share information which focuses on what to do if an active shooter event occurs in the workplace or any place where people are gathered. 

Our top priority is keeping the community safe, and businesses play a big role in the Merriam community. This is the type of training we hope nobody has to use, but it’s always better to be prepared.

Active Shooter Presentation(PDF, 23MB)

Run, Hide, Fight Video

Department of Homeland Security

Alarm Registration

Alarm registration assists the police and fire departments in providing service to you during an emergency. The information collected will be included in current pre-fire and alarm plans for your property and added to our records annually. There's no fee to register your alarm.

Register Your Alarm

Internet Exchange Parking

We now have a safe spot for you to do internet exchanges! There are two designated parking spots near the Merriam Police Department that are monitored by video camera 24/7. Look for the sign and green parking spaces in the front parking lot.

Birthday Parades

Invite Merriam Police to help celebrate your child's birthday. Officers will drive by your home with their lights and sirens blaring! Contact Capt. Chris Brokaw at 913-322-5566 or email to schedule a police parade. 

Fingerprinting

Fingerprinting is by appointment only, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This is a free service for those who live or work in Merriam, and $15 for non-residents. Call our community service officer at 913-322-5581 to schedule.  

Car Seat Checks 

Car seat installation checks are by appointment only, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call our community service officer at 913-322-5581 to schedule.  

Learn More

House Watch Requests

Are you leaving town and want the Merriam Police Department to watch your home? A house watch is a community service provided by the Merriam Police Department. This service reduces the possibility of someone entering your home while you're away.  

Request a House Watch

Community Video Partnership

Do you have security cameras that view public area in the city (sidewalks, streets, parking lots, etc.)? Do you want to help the police catch criminals and keep Merriam safe? Video cameras are one of the best methods for catching criminals in the act. The Community Video Partnership Program invites residents and businesses to work with Merriam Police to create a list of active security cameras across the City.

Register Your Camera

Neighborhood Watch

The Merriam Police Department believes crime prevention is a team effort. We encourage the cooperation of police and the citizens to work together. A neighborhood watch area is a group of citizens working together to help identify specific crime problems in the area in which they live. They can then relay this information to the police for enforcement. If you want to set up a neighborhood watch, contact the Merriam Police Department at 913-322-5560.

To conduct a search of registered sexual offenders in Johnson County, please visit the Johnson County Sheriff's Department website. The site maps offenders using a Google mapping system. You can see where they live, work or go to school. 

To conduct a search of the registered sex offenders throughout the state of Kansas, please visit the Kansas Bureau of Investigations (KBI) website. 

To search the national database, visit the US Department of Justice website.

If you feel that a member of the Merriam Police Department has gone above and beyond the normal call of duty and you would like to make a compliment about that person, please fill out the form below and select submit.

Click here to view form.

When a citizen makes an official complaint against an officer, it is documented and investigated by the officer's supervisor. If the complaint is serious in nature or cannot be resolved by the supervisor, it is forwarded to the captain for further investigation. Once the investigation is complete it is forwarded to the police chief as founded or unfounded. If the complaint is founded, the captain recommends the appropriate disciplinary action to be taken for the officers actions. 

Click here to view form.

View Past Annual Reports

Uniform Public Offense Code

The Uniform Public Offense Code (UPOC) is published by the League of Kansas Municipalities. It's designed to provide a comprehensive public offense ordinance for Kansas cities. It doesn't take effect in a city until the governing body has passed and published an ordinance incorporating it by reference under the authority of and by the procedure prescribed by K.S.A. 12-3009 through 12-3012 and K.S.A. 12-3301 and 12-3302.

The Uniform Public Offense Code, in large part, parallels the state criminal code. Additional provisions for local regulations, if any, may be included in the incorporating ordinance. Previous ordinances relating to public offenses in conflict with provisions of the Uniform Public Offense Code and ordinances incorporating earlier editions of the Uniform Public Offense Code should be repealed by the incorporating ordinance.

The City of Merriam annually adopts the Uniform Public Offense Code. A copy of the latest code can be found here(PDF, 2MB) .

Standard Traffic Ordinance

The Standard Traffic Ordinance (STO) for Kansas Cities is published by the League of Kansas Municipalities. It's designed to provide a comprehensive traffic code for Kansas cities. It doesn't take effect in a city until the governing body has passed and published an ordinance incorporating it by reference under the authority of and by the procedure prescribed by K.S.A. 12-3009 through 12-3012 and K.S.A. 12-3301 and 12-3302.

The Standard Traffic Ordinance, in large part, parallels the state traffic act. Additional provisions for local regulations, if any, may be included in the incorporating ordinance. Previous ordinances relating to traffic in conflict with provisions of this standard traffic ordinance and ordinances incorporating earlier editions of the standard traffic ordinance should be repealed by the incorporating ordinance.

The City of Merriam annually adopts the Standard Traffic Ordinance. A copy of the latest ordinance can be found here(PDF, 3MB) .

Dear Ride-Along Participant,

Thank you for expressing interest in our Ride-Along Program. The program was implemented so that participants could ride with a police officer and experience first hand what the officer's job duties and activities are on a daily basis. I hope that you enjoy this experience and that it contributes to a greater public awareness about our job as "Public Servants".

Below is a Request and Release Form. This form must be filled out and e-signed prior to participating in the Ride-Along. Due to liability issues, the police department does not allow any Ride-Along citizens to carry any weapon. A Ride-Along citizen will not become involved in any situation with the police officer, unless specifically directed by the officer to do so. The Ride-Along Program has been designed for citizens to observe and not participate.

The applicant must fill out the form completely.

Sincerely,

Chief Darren McLaughlin