Kansas City Today

How one KCPD officer with a violent history is being handled

By Brian Ellison,

Published February 2, 2026 at 4:00 AM CST

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In 2023, a Kansas City police officer shot and killed two people and injured a third, but he won’t face criminal charges. And that’s not the only legal settlement involving Blayne Newton. Hear about Newton’s conduct and how it has fanned the flames of tension in the community.

KCUR investigative reporter Peggy Lowe spoke with Steve Kraske about Newton’s conduct on Up To Date.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian Ellison It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

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Brian Ellison

As a host and contributor at KCUR, I seek to create a more informed citizenry and richer community. I want to enlighten and inspire our audience by delivering the information they need with accuracy and urgency, clarifying what’s complicated and teasing out the complexities of what seems simple. I work to craft conversations that reveal realities in our midst and model civil discourse in a divided world. Follow me on Twitter @ptsbrian or email me at brian@kcur.org.

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Byron J. Love

As an on-demand producer, I am focused on using my skills and experiences across multiple digital applications, platforms and media fields to create community focused audio, video and on-demand products for KCUR Studios. The media that I produce aims to inform, entertain and connect with the Kansas City metro area as we continue to learn from each other. Email me at byronlove@kcur.org.

See stories by Byron J. Love