Major funding changes are on the way for the Kansas City Police Department. Just hours after Mayor Quinton Lucas announced a plan Thursday to move millions from the police department budget to other crime prevention efforts, the city council passed it.The city council voted 9-4 to pass two ordinances, with all the city council members from the Northland voting against the measure.More than a dozen officers sat in the room watching as it happened.The ordinances take $42.3 million directly out of the police budget. The plan then commits $45.3 million to be used by the police department for crime prevention, community engagement, and outreach. Supporters explained that it is basically a transfer while increasing the budget by $3 million.They say it will help reduce the high number of homicides that have plagued the city.The four council members against plan said they were left out of the deal and the process should not have been done behind closed doors.”This is actually just the same thing that happens in Overland Park and Grandview every year. City council get to talk to the police department about what the budget is going to be and then all those cities, they take care of their police. They have a good relationship with them with them. I think Kansas City can be just like that and I’m glad we took a step in that direction,” Lucas said.”You can’t just blink and say all of a sudden violent crime is going to evaporate. It doesn’t work that way,” said Heather Hall, city councilwoman for the 1st District.The Kansas City Police Board of Commissioners is run by a state board. This is one way to circumvent that and have more direct oversight by the city council through the budgeting process.In a recent blog post, KCPD Chief Rick Smith says continuing budget cuts would affect staffing, programs and response times.Co-sponsors for the legislation included Third District at-Large Councilmember Brandon Ellington, Third District Councilmember Melissa Robinson, Fourth District at-Large Council member Katheryn Shields, Fourth District Council member Eric Bunch, Fifth District at-Large Council member Lee Barnes, Jr., Fifth District Council member Ryana Parks-Shaw, Sixth District at-Large Council member Andrea Bough, and Sixth District Council member Kevin McManus.”This is a refreshing change of course,” said Gwen Grant, president and CEO, Urban League of Kansas City and member of the Urban Council. “It is time that the KCPD be held to account for their inefficient and ineffective expenditures, which have failed to substantively address the proliferation of violent crime in our community.”Before the city council voted, Kansas City police Chief Rick Smith released this statement:”I am disheartened Mayor Lucas and the other sponsoring council members did not reach out to the police department prior to today’s press conference to notify us of such a policy shift. As a member of the Board of Police Commissioners, the mayor meets monthly with other board members, department members and the public. At these meetings, we discuss performance and statistics from each bureau, including crime, budgets, policy and other matters. The mayor and the other sponsoring council members have not previously mentioned this proposal, so our discussions about it are just beginning.”Four council members spoke out against the proposal at a news conference.
Major funding changes are on the way for the Kansas City Police Department.
Just hours after Mayor Quinton Lucas announced a plan Thursday to move millions from the police department budget to other crime prevention efforts, the city council passed it.
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The city council voted 9-4 to pass two ordinances, with all the city council members from the Northland voting against the measure.
More than a dozen officers sat in the room watching as it happened.
The ordinances take $42.3 million directly out of the police budget. The plan then commits $45.3 million to be used by the police department for crime prevention, community engagement, and outreach. Supporters explained that it is basically a transfer while increasing the budget by $3 million.
They say it will help reduce the high number of homicides that have plagued the city.
The four council members against plan said they were left out of the deal and the process should not have been done behind closed doors.
“This is actually just the same thing that happens in Overland Park and Grandview every year. City council get to talk to the police department about what the budget is going to be and then all those cities, they take care of their police. They have a good relationship with them with them. I think Kansas City can be just like that and I’m glad we took a step in that direction,” Lucas said.
“You can’t just blink and say all of a sudden violent crime is going to evaporate. It doesn’t work that way,” said Heather Hall, city councilwoman for the 1st District.
The Kansas City Police Board of Commissioners is run by a state board. This is one way to circumvent that and have more direct oversight by the city council through the budgeting process.
In a recent blog post, KCPD Chief Rick Smith says continuing budget cuts would affect staffing, programs and response times.
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Co-sponsors for the legislation included Third District at-Large Councilmember Brandon Ellington, Third District Councilmember Melissa Robinson, Fourth District at-Large Council member Katheryn Shields, Fourth District Council member Eric Bunch, Fifth District at-Large Council member Lee Barnes, Jr., Fifth District Council member Ryana Parks-Shaw, Sixth District at-Large Council member Andrea Bough, and Sixth District Council member Kevin McManus.
“This is a refreshing change of course,” said Gwen Grant, president and CEO, Urban League of Kansas City and member of the Urban Council. “It is time that the KCPD be held to account for their inefficient and ineffective expenditures, which have failed to substantively address the proliferation of violent crime in our community.”
Before the city council voted, Kansas City police Chief Rick Smith released this statement:
“I am disheartened Mayor Lucas and the other sponsoring council members did not reach out to the police department prior to today’s press conference to notify us of such a policy shift. As a member of the Board of Police Commissioners, the mayor meets monthly with other board members, department members and the public. At these meetings, we discuss performance and statistics from each bureau, including crime, budgets, policy and other matters. The mayor and the other sponsoring council members have not previously mentioned this proposal, so our discussions about it are just beginning.”
Four council members spoke out against the proposal at a news conference.