GPD Frequently Asked Questions

Kansas law, K.S.A. 8-1344 requires the following:

• A child under the age of four years must be in an appropriate child safety restraining system.
• A child four years of age, but under the age of eight years AND who weighs less than 80 pounds OR is less than 4 foot 9 inches in height, must ride in an approved child passenger safety restraining system.
• A child eight years of age but under the age of fourteen OR who weighs more than 80 pounds OR is more than 4 foot 9 inches in height must wear a seat belt.

Yes. Kansas Law and the Kansas Attorney General’s Office have reviewed this issue. If you reside in Kansas, regardless of whether or not you own property in another state, you must obtain Kansas Registration for your vehicle(s).

The Galena Police Department conducts Vehicle Identification Number Inspections Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. To 4:00 p.m. You will need to bring the vehicle, title, driver’s license, and the $20.00 fee. Vehicles with Salvage Titles must be inspected by the Kansas Highway Patrol. They are at the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday’s from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. to conduct these inspections.

You can come to the Police Department’s at 211 Turner Drive Monday – Friday between the hours of  8:30 a.m. 3:30 p.m. to get fingerprinted.

A Protection From Abuse Order (PFA) is a court action intended to bring about an end of the abuse towards you and/or your children. To qualify for a Protection From Abuse Order, you and the person you want restrained must be intimate partners or household members, meaning you must:

• Be residing together, OR
• Have formerly resided together, OR
• Be the parent of or living with a child who has suffered abuse by the party you are attempting to restrain, OR
• Have a child in common, OR
• Be in or have been in a dating relationship, AND
• The person has intentionally attempted to cause you or a child bodily injury, or intentionally or recklessly caused bodily injury, OR
• The person has intentionally placed, by physical threat, you or a child, in fear of imminent bodily injury, OR
• The person has engaged in certain sexual conduct with a child less than 16 years of age who is not the spouse of the offender.

How to Apply for a Protection From Abuse Order

You may call 1-800-723-6953 to contact the Legal Services of Southeast Kansas. This is the organization that assists residents in Cherokee County in obtaining a PFA.

Forms for obtaining a PFA Order

When you receive a Protection Order, the court is empowered to order any or all of the following:

• Restraining the defendant from abusing, molesting or interfering with the privacy or rights of the plaintiff or of any minor children of the parties.
• Granting possession of the residence or household to the plaintiff, to the exclusion of the defendant.
• Requiring the defendant to provide suitable, alternate housing for the plaintiff and any minor children of the parties.
• Awarding custody and establishing a parenting plan with regard to minor children.
• Ordering a law enforcement officer to evict the defendant from the residence or household.
• Ordering support payments by the party for the support of a party’s minor child or a party’s spouse.
• Awarding costs and attorney fees to either party.
• Making provision for the possession of personal property of the parties and ordering a law enforcement officer to assist in securing possession of that property, if necessary.
• Requiring the person against whom the order is issued to seek counseling to aid in the cessation of abuse.
• Restraining the defendant from cancelling utility service to resident for 60 days.
• Ordering or retraining any other acts necessary to promote the safety of the plaintiff and the minor children.

What you should Know

• You may request that the PFA order be in effect for up to one year.
• You may file only two PFA petitions within a 12-month period.
• Your PFA order is not enforceable until it has been served on the defendant by authorized personnel.
• If the defendant violates the order before it is served, you can still call the police. The police will not be able to arrest him for violating the order, but they can still protect you.
• If the defendant needs to pick up personal property from the home, be prepared to tell the judge when that is convenient for you. The defendant must have a police escort if he needs to come to the home for personal belongings.
• The defendant can be ordered to pay child or spousal support. Take time before the second hearing to make a list of expenses and how much you will be asking for. You may be asked to complete this information at the time you file your petition if you are asking for support.
• You can ask for court-ordered counseling for the defendant.
• If there are children, the Court may require you to file a temporary parenting plan with the petition and/or final order. Be precise about visitation times, location and duration. Avoid vague language such as “reasonable”. If you are requesting no visitation or supervised visitation with the defendant, be prepared to explain to the judge why such an order is necessary. The Court may also ask you to provide information about where the children have been living for the last few months.
• Your PFA order is enforceable where it is issued and in all other jurisdictions. This includes all 50 states, Indian tribal lands, the District of Columbia, the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam.

The information on this page is a summary of the law. For more information or legal advice, you should seek the assistance of an attorney.

ALWAYS KEEP YOUR COPY OF THE PFA ORDER WITH YOU!

Advocates may be available to assist you with the filing of your PFA order, accompany you to court and provide information to you and your children. These resources are available by calling the Crises Center of Southeast Kansas at 1-800-794-9148 or (620) 231-8251 or by calling the Kansas Crisis Hotline at 1-888-END-ABUSE

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office closely monitors the registration status of offenders required to register with the Sheriff’s Office under the Kansas Offender Registration Act. We will take immediate enforcement action on offenders who refuse or fail to maintain a current and accurate registration status. These offenders may be convicted of certain violent, drug related, or sex crimes.

Residents may find offenders by clicking on the tab on the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office home page www.cherokeecountykssheriff.com. From there you can review a list of offenders in Cherokee County and sign up for email updates. You may register as many physical addresses as you would like, such as schools, parks, or other areas where your children frequent. We will then notify you by email anytime a new offender moves into those areas. In addition, you can also indicate any specific offenders you would like to be notified about should his/her registration status or information change.