Judge orders end to Kansas Highway Patrol ‘two-step’ tactic and more training for troopers

A federal judge on Monday ordered the Kansas Highway Patrol to stop using its “two-step” tactic during traffic stops as part of a sweeping court-mandated overhaul of the agency’s practices. U.S. District Court Judge Kathryn Vratil issued a four-year injunction against the Highway Patrol after ruling in July that the agency violated the constitutional rights of motorists in how it conducted traffic stops. The length of the order effectively places troopers and their leaders under long-term judicial supervision, allowing Vratil to keep an eye on their procedures and practices. When stopping vehi...