KANSAS CITY, Kansas -- At times during his career with the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, Robert David Melton was called upon to do “knock and walks” at Juniper Gardens in order to patrol and smooth over any trouble at the public housing complex.
On Tuesday, a disturbance at Juniper Gardens triggered a chain of events that would take Melton’s life.
Melton, 46, was shot to death by an unidentified assailant at 22nd Street and Haskell Avenue. The shooting claimed the life of a 17-year law enforcement professional, a solider and a father who was remembered warmly by his friends and acquaintances on Tuesday.
Eddie Villanueva, who received training from Melton while the two worked at the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Department, said Melton was “a family guy and a great guy.”
Melton started his law enforcement career with the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Department in 1990. He served there until becoming a patrol officer with the KCK police late in 1999. He would work his way up the ranks at the police department, becoming sergeant in 2006 and receiving promotion to captain last year.
According to his LinkedIn page, he was assigned as captain to the bureau of operations, where he managed personnel and staffing.
Melton graduated with degrees from Kansas City Kansas Community College in 2000 and MidAmerica Nazarene University in 2015.
His ascension in the department earned him the respect of those in and out of the department.
Hal Walker, a Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan., commissioner and its chief counsel for years before his election in 2013, remembered that Melton was motivated to advance within the department.
“Overall, he seemed like a very good guy,” Walker said.
Kristy Blagg, a dispatcher for the police department, said Melton was kind and respectful of the department’s dispatch team and was known for his sense of humor.
Shortly after news surfaced of Melton’s death, she posted on Facebook: “I am heartbroken and praying so hard for all my KCKPD friends. I am so sorry, guys. Please, please stand together and know we all support you.”
Melton served from 2007 to 2010 in the Kansas Army National Guard, where he trained soldiers who sought to be commissioned as officers with the National Guard. Subsequently, he served in Afghanistan as an operations officer for a tank squadron, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Jason Kander, who served in the army before eventually becoming Missouri secretary of state, said he met Melton in the military.
“I had the privilege of working very briefly but closely with Capt. Melton a few years ago when we were both Army Officer Candidate School Platoon Trainers assigned to the same annual training,” Kander said in an e-mail statement to The Star.
“He had enormous enthusiasm for the work and I remember him speaking often of his service as a police officer. He was a proud soldier and proud member of law enforcement. Today’s news is truly heartbreaking.”
Copyright 2016 The Kansas City Star
Tribune News Service
