WICHITA, Kan. — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas recognized Wichita Police Department Detective Kevin D. Real as a DOJ Hometown Hero, citing nearly three decades of public-safety work and major narcotics investigations.
According to the official May 19 release, U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser presented Real with an award certificate and challenge coin on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. The office said the Hometown Hero award commemorates the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and honors liberty, service, and civic responsibility.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Real is a 29-year veteran of the Wichita Police Department. In 2024, the release said, he was named the Kansas Narcotics Officers Association’s Officer of the Year.
Drug investigations and long-term public-safety work
The federal release said Real has used research, surveillance, and deductive reasoning skills to facilitate arrests of suspects directly connected to organized criminal networks involved in trafficking methamphetamine and heroin, as well as firearms smuggling.
To date, the release said, Real has seized more than 400 pounds of methamphetamine that was intended for distribution on the streets of Wichita.
“Detective Real goes into drug houses and dangerously comes face-to-face with individuals who have a propensity for violence. This work requires courage, skill, and resilience,” Kriegshauser said in the release. “We are grateful for his efforts in holding drug traffickers accountable and ensuring communities are safer for everyone.”
Chief says the community feels the impact
Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan also praised Real’s work in the DOJ release.
“Detective Kevin Real represents the best of the Wichita Police Department,” Sullivan said. “For nearly three decades, he has taken on dangerous work that most people never see, but our community feels the impact of every day.”
Sullivan said Real’s work has removed drugs, guns, and violent offenders from Wichita neighborhoods, calling the recognition from the U.S. Attorney’s Office well deserved.
The release said Real has worked with local, state, and federal agencies, including prior service as an FBI-credentialed Project Safe Streets Task Force Officer on complex investigations involving multiple interviews, search warrants, and evidence collection across several jurisdictions.
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas, Department of Justice.
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