Lawrence police officer’s nose broken in ‘immediate’ attack following disturbance call

LAWRENCE, Kan. (KCTV) - On Saturday, a disturbance call at an apartment complex quickly turned violent when a police officer was attacked.

The Lawrence Police Department posted about the altercation online, stating that one of its officers was first called to the 2400 block of Melrose Avenue around 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 7 for a reported disturbance.

Witnesses told dispatch that a man had aggressively approached one of the residents of an apartment complex. When the officer arrived, she identified the man and tried to talk to him, but he “immediately attacked the officer and punched her several times in the face,” the report stated.

LPD said another resident helped tackle the suspect to the ground and more officers arrived soon after.

Booking information identifies the suspect as 61-year-old Jeffrey Montgomery Smith of Eudora, Kansas.

Smith was allegedly so uncooperative and dangerous to himself and those around him after his arrest that he was taken to an area hospital to be sedated before he was transported to the Douglas County Correctional Facility.

He has since been charged with criminal threat, criminal property damage, and battery on a law enforcement officer; bodily harm to a county or city officer on duty.

The injured officer suffered a broken nose and cuts on her face. She was treated at an area hospital and is now recovering, LPD said.

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