‘That’s not how we conduct police work’; Former Bowling Green police captain alleges missing evidence, misconduct at department

BOWLING GREEN, Mo. (WGEM) — In a letter addressed to the Bowling Green, Missouri, mayor and city council, a former Bowling Green police captain is asking for an independent investigation into “the conduct and administration” of their old department.

The letter was submitted to WGEM News by an unnamed source with knowledge of the Bowling Green Police Department (BGPD). WGEM News independently verified the validity of the letter with the captain, who also asked to remain anonymous.

In the document, the captain outlines nine alleged instances or patterns of misconduct. All names in the letter are redacted, but the captain identified several accusations that are tied to Chris Beard, Bowling Green police chief, and one involving the department’s previous chief: Bennie Church.

Multiple sources with knowledge of the situation corroborated the contents of the letter with WGEM News on the condition of anonymity.

Missing evidence

According to the letter, an audit of the BGPD evidence room revealed approximately $3,000 in currency and assets were unaccounted for. The letter states the discrepancy involved records dating back to a former police chief, who the captain identified as Bennie Church to WGEM News.

“Despite my role as the department’s primary internal investigations administrator, I have received no order or directive to investigate these discrepancies,” the letter reads.

The letter also alleges a chief, who the captain identified as Beard, has contacted Church on several occasions and, to his knowledge, has not asked about the missing evidence.

Emails obtained by WGEM News indicate $1,306 seized for “further investigation” was tied to a case from 2023 and was unaccounted for during the audit.

Investigations dropped

In the letter, the captain also alleges he was ordered not to investigate an incident in which a BGPD officer “traveled across multiple lanes of Highway 61 and struck a fleeing motorcyclist head-on with his patrol vehicle” during a pursuit.

The letter explains that bodycam video from the incident “raised serious concerns about a possible violation of the motorcyclist’s Fourth Amendment rights and whether the conduct could constitute criminal assault under Missouri law if it was not legally justified.”

The captain also requested permission to investigate a similar incident where a BGPD officer and a Pike County Sheriff’s deputy allegedly lied about the amount and kind of force they used. The letter states a chief, later identified to WGEM News as Beard, told the captain an investigation was “unnecessary because the focus was on the county officer involved.”

Other allegations mentioned in the letter include:

• Conduct “concerning relationships with multiple women in the community” from a police sergeant that dissuaded a woman from reporting an incident of sexual harassment “because she feared (the sergeant) would use photographs associated with the report inappropriately.”
• Numerous statements from a chief, later identified to WGEM News as Beard, criticizing women in law enforcement. Per the letter, he told the captain “that women have no place in law enforcement and create unnecessary drama that detracts from the profession.”
• Comments from a BGPD sergeant who “went out of his way” to ensure that Beard “was the only viable candidate for consideration” during the hiring process.
• An alleged extramarital relationship between Beard and a Pike County (Missouri) dispatch administrator. The letter claims the administrator accompanied Beard to a conference in a department vehicle. According to the captain, the city covered Beard’s training and lodging costs.
• A hostile work environment.

Chief’s response

In a phone call with WGEM News, BGPD chief Chris Beard said he plans to file defamation suits against “any and all who have passed that (letter) along as truth.”

Beard also stated the captain’s employment with the department was terminated effective Nov. 6. According to Beard, the Bowling Green City Council voted to place the captain on paid administrative leave on Oct. 5. The captain’s letter was submitted to city officials on Oct. 7.

Beard’s account conflicts with an account offered by an unnamed source familiar with the situation, who said the captain came into work on Oct. 6 and 7 before the city council held a meeting to place them on leave. The source described the move as “retaliation” after the captain submitted the letter.

“It’s pathetic”

In a phone call with a WGEM reporter, one source described the state of the department as “beyond pathetic.”

“That’s not how we conduct police work,” they said.

“It’s pretty embarrassing, really, for the city and the department,” another source explained.

City investigation

Bowling Green mayor Thomas Thompson told WGEM News he could not offer a comment on the situation without clearance from the city’s attorney, but he said most of the claims outlined in the letter have been “addressed” internally.

Thompson acknowledged an external investigation or review is underway, but did not discuss the scope, focus or personnel involved.