Former Peabody cop’s certification revoked
Staff writer
Former Peabody police officer Jessica LaValley lost her Kansas law-enforcement certification after posting a Snapchat photo that exposed confidential information about a juvenile.
Kansas Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training ordered the revocation. CPOST confirmed Monday that the order was final.
LaValley worked full time for Peabody police from Oct. 29, 2025, through Feb. 19, 2026, according to the order.
Two law-enforcement officers reported in February that she had posted a photograph of herself in front of a computer screen displaying a narrative about a Peabody police case. The juvenile’s name, address, age, and image were visible, the commission found.
Peabody police opened an internal investigation. LaValley acknowledged posting the photograph and resigned during that investigation, according to the order.
During an April 14 interview with a commission investigator, LaValley again acknowledged posting the photograph.
She said that she thought that the image was blurry and she had intended to post it to a private Snapchat story rather than a public one, according to the order.
The commission concluded that she willfully disclosed confidential information without a legitimate law-enforcement purpose, constituting unprofessional conduct.
LaValley raised concerns Dec. 29, 2025 at a contentious city council meeting. She said she had been warned her home was being watched and photographed despite her attempts to keep her address confidential.
“I don’t feel safe or comfortable in my own home anymore, and neither does my daughter,” she said at the meeting.
The dispute involved former police chief Matthew Neal’s use of a city-owned vehicle. Former mayor Kevin Burke denied photographing officers’ homes, arranging surveillance, or contacting their families.
The Record previously reported LaValley’s departure.
City administrator Paul Leeker said at the time that he did not know why she had resigned.