RCPD assistant director to retire Jan. 1

The Riley County Police Department on Wednesday announced that assistant director Kurt Moldrup will retire at the end of the year after 39 years in law enforcement.

Moldrup’s retirement will be effective Jan. 1.

Moldrup has been with RCPD since March 1985. He worked in patrol and investigations, and he has been a public information officer and internal affairs officer. He became a sergeant in 1995, a lieutenant in 2000 and and captain in 2009, when he began overseeing the support and corrections divisions.

On June 25, 2018, he became the interim assistant director before taking on the role formally in January 2020. He served as the interim director from February 2022 to January 2023.

“AD Moldrup has served RCPD and this community with distinction, never hesitating to go or do whatever was needed,” said RCPD director Brian Peete in a written statement. “Kurt is a consummate professional who exemplifies leadership. He has been practicing community-led and 21st-century policing concepts long before they became widely recognized. He led RCPD through some of the most challenging times, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd and an era of record-low hiring and diminished public trust in law enforcement. His uncompromising integrity, honor and ethics were the cornerstones that ensured this department enjoyed broad community support while many others struggled.”

According to an RCPD release, Moldrup has guided the department through the implementation of succession planning, the adoption of evidence-based policing policies, multiple Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies assessments and the navigation of numerous critical incidents.

Moldrup has multiple ties with the Manhattan and Riley County communities and is involved with K-State, Fort Riley and numerous non-profit and faith-based organizations. He and his wife, Sue, have 11 children.

“First responders make significant sacrifices for their families and communities,” Peete said. “Kurt has given so much, and his family has shared him with us. Because of his dedication, countless lives have been changed for the better.”

Moldrup has won a variety of accolades, including a Director’s Commendation, the Little Apple Optimist Club Award, nominations for Officer and Supervisor of the Year, a Life Saving Award, and the Meritorious Service Award.

“Without integrity, there is no foundation to build on,” Peete said. “Kurt epitomizes what law enforcement should be and how we should respond to and treat those we serve. He set high standards, mentored and elevated many people to new heights they may never have thought possible. Through personal connections and fatherly guidance, he has ensured that the professional and approachable manner in which we serve is forever embedded in RCPD as the norm, not the exception.”

RCPD tentatively has scheduled a retirement reception for Moldrup on Dec. 27.