For nearly 30 years, Kansas City, Kansas Police Chief Karl Oakman worked across the state line for the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. for a new officer for the K-9 unit. “We were having some issues with another K-9 officer that we needed to remove from there. So, we were really looking for someone where it wasn’t going to be a huge learning curve,” Chief Oakman said. Faced with a list of candidates for the position, Oakman and the command staff chose Officer James Muhlbauer, who was killed in a car crash Wednesday along with his fellow K-9 officer Champ in the line of duty. And I tell you it was a great decision. He got into the unit and just flourished. Everyone loved it work with him because when you’re in a unit like K-9, he’s a support unit. So, you have to get along with all the different divisions because he’s very important. So, I’ve always understood that he supported the patrol and he really did a great job,” Chief Oakman said. One of the people Officer Muhlbauer worked with regularly was Chief Oakman’s son, Karl, a KCPD officer. Karl worked with Agent Muhlbauer the same night as the fatal crash. “When we talk about gunshots and other things, which are really a danger, we always forget about the accidents. There are police officers who are constantly driving around the city and sometimes we forget that they are always at risk just from the sheer amount of volume those patrol vehicles handle,” Chief Oakman said. Radell Oakman has spent his entire marriage life as the wife of a police officer. She is now also the mother of one. Radell feels a special connection to Officer Muhlbauer’s wife and 10-year-old son. The Oakmans also know the loss. Their newborn daughter, Alexandria, she died in 2002. “It’s so important to me to be there for them, for us to be there for the family, because the police department was there for us. They were at the funeral there were so many people there. And I still remember yes they made sure we ate when we couldn’t even think about eating,” Radell said. Chief Oakman said his KCKPD officers will work on Muhlbauer’s funeral Wednesday in support of the KCPD. Additionally, the Oakmans signed up for the Meal Train to bring food to the Muhlbauer family.
For nearly 30 years, Kansas City, Kansas Police Chief Karl Oakman worked across the state line for the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.
Chief Oakman was Deputy Chief of the KCPD’s Patrol Bureau when the department was looking for a new officer for the K-9 unit a few years ago.
“We were having some issues with another K-9 officer that we had to remove from there. So, we were really looking for someone where it wasn’t going to be a big learning curve,” Chief Oakman said.
Faced with a list of candidates for the position, Oakman and the command staff selected Officer James Muhlbauer, who was killed in a car accident Wednesday along with his fellow K-9 officer Champ in the line of duty.
HOW YOU CAN HELP: Kansas City Fraternal Order of Police establishes donation sites for officer James Muhlbauer
“He was highly recommended as one of the people on the list. And I tell you it was a very good decision. He came into the unit and just flourished. Everyone loved working with him because when you’re in a unit like K-9, he’s a support unit. So, you have to get along with all the different divisions because that’s very important. So, I always understood that he supported the patrol and did a really great job,” Chief Oakman said.
One of the people Officer Muhlbauer worked with regularly was Chief Oakman’s son, Karl, a KCPD officer.
Karl worked with Agent Muhlbauer the same night of the fatal crash.
“When we talk about shootings and other things, which are really a danger, we always forget about the accidents. There are police officers who are constantly driving around the city and sometimes we forget that they are always at risk just from the sheer amount of volume they are running those patrol vehicles,” Chief Oakman said.
Radell Oakman spent her entire married life as the wife of a police officer.
Now she is also the mother of one.
Radell feels a special bond with Agent Muhlbauer’s wife and 10-year-old son.
The Oakmans also know about the loss.
Their newborn daughter Alexandria died in 2002.
“It’s so important to me to be there for them, for us to be there for the family, because the police department was there for us. They were at the funeral there were so many people there. And I still remember them making sure we ate when we couldn’t even think about eating,” Radell said.
Chief Oakman said his KCKPD officers will work on Muhlbauer’s funeral Wednesday in support of the KCPD.
Additionally, the Oakmans signed up for the Meal Train to bring food to the Muhlbauer family.
