Brice Burlie always knew he wanted to be Hutchinson’s Chief of Police

CAPTION: Hutchinson Police Chief Brice Burlie (left) and Captain Dayton Gates (right) discuss the days’ activities during a Dec. 19, 2024, meeting at the Law Enforcement Center in Hutchinson. CREDIT RICHARD SHANK

By Richard Shank

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In April 1999, Brice Burlie, a young applicant who aspired to join the Hutchinson Police Department, was dressed in his Sunday best for an oral interview with the department’s hierarchy. 

As the interview wound down, a member of the selection committee posed the question, “What are your goals should you be selected to be an officer of the Hutchinson Police Department?”

“I would like to be the Chief of Police in Hutchinson,” Burlie responded. 

The committee liked what they saw and heard and soon thereafter he was patrolling the streets of Hutchinson. 

Scroll ahead 24 years to June 2023. He was Hutchinson’s top cop following a journey that included a dozen different positions in the department including Patrol Officer, School Resource Officer, Field Training Officer and Professional Standards Captain. 

From day one, Burlie knew his way around town having grown up on East 12th Street where his mother resides to this day. During his formative years, Burlie’s neighbors were Richard and Maxine Wycliffe, who were Hutchinson police officers. Occasionally, they would have discussions about the police department, which piqued his interest in law enforcement. 

“I always wanted to be a police officer,” Burlie said and those who knew him in his formative years are not surprised he holds the position he has held for 18 months. 

Graduating from Hutchinson High School in 1992 led to enrollment at Hutchinson Community College where he graduated two years later with an Associate’s degree in Criminal Justice. To fine-tune his degree, Burlie’s next stop was in Manhattan where he received a bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Sociology in 1998. 

On his first day as Chief of Police, Burlie had no trouble finding plenty to do. Days later while winding down at home after a long day in the office, he took a few minutes to contemplate the job he had just assumed. 

“The realization hit me that I had the responsibility to preserve the security and safety of 40,000 people in Hutchinson and 77 officers and 40 other employees who work in the department as record clerks, computer techs and those who work at the Animal Shelter,” Burlie said. “I knew going in that we have great people working in the department.”

Currently, the department has openings for 10 officers, but Burlie said he is encouraged that they have received many applicants.

As Burlie pointed out, the City of Hutchinson is not unlike most cities in the nation in that drug-related crimes are the most common offenses in the city.

“We work closely with local agencies including mental health organizations, homeless shelters and other groups who deal with addiction to see if we can get to the root of the problem,” Burlie said. “Repeat offenders is a major issue we deal with.”

Ranking second in Hutchinson’s crime problems are theft and burglaries. 

Every new leader of any organization including Chiefs of Police has new ideas on how to better lead, and Burlie was no exception. 

Soon, Burlie introduced a concept called “Community Engagement” which essentially required officers to make at least one unannounced visit to citizens during every 12-hour shift. The requirement seemed at first to be a lofty goal but the officers were quick to embrace the idea. 

“As an example, when officers saw kids playing basketball on an outside court, they would stop for a casual visit,” Burlie said. “Other times officers made unannounced stops at schools and businesses.”

During the first year of the program, nearly 8,000 Community Engagements were made, which far exceeded all expectations for the program.

According to Burlie, relations between the police department and Reno County Sheriff’s office needed improvement at the time of his hiring, an issue that has been resolved, in part, through monthly luncheons with him and Sheriff Darrian Campbell.

“We meet monthly for lunch even if there are no major issues to discuss,” Burlie said. 

Burlie inherited a Crisis Response Team which for the most part was a single employee assigned to work with people experiencing a mental health crisis. The employee worked four 10-hour days per week. 

To bring more support to the program, Burlie mandated that all Hutchinson police officers be trained to deal with mental health issues and be certified in Crisis Intervention. To date, more than 60% of the officers have completed the certification process. 

Any conversation with Chief Burlie includes multiple references of support for the officers who work long hours and may be required to respond to life-threatening situations. 

“Officer wellness is a priority in this department, as we need to take care of our officers and keep everyone mentally and physically well while avoiding burnout,” Burlie said.