The Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners voted 4-1 Friday to file litigation after city hall budget changes reallocated $42 million from the Kansas City Police Department’s budget.During a 35-minute meeting held in a closed session, the board voted to sue the city council, the city manager and Mayor Quinton Lucas “to enforce the board’s rights, responsibilities, and authorities under Chapter 84 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri in such form as the litigation committee may deem appropriate.” Chapter 84 is the Missouri law that allows the state to maintain oversight of the Kansas City Police Department. The lawsuit was filed in Jackson County Circuit Court.Last week, the city council passed two new ordinances that reallocated more than $40 million of KCPD’s budget for specific crime prevention efforts.The ordinances were introduced and passed within six hours last week. It involves moving more than $42 million from the police budget to a new community service and prevention fund. Spending of that money would have to be approved by the city manager and the police board, which is the group overseeing the police department.[ FULL MINUTES FROM POLICE BOARD CLOSED SESSION VOTE ]The board’s litigation is an attempt to get the ordinances overturned and return the funding back to their control based on their claim that Kansas City, Missouri, does not have the right to control the KCPD budget.Friday afternoon, Bishop Mark Tolbert, president of the Board of Police Commissioners, released a statement on behalf of the board:”While I understand the frustration of the Mayor, the City Council and some citizens of Kansas City, Missouri, I also understand that we must abide by the laws enacted by our Missouri Legislature.”In March 2021, the City appropriated funds for the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department’s operating expenses for the year. An unexpected $42 million change to our budget risks a disruption in services to our citizens. “I ask that the Mayor and the City Council withdraw the two ordinances at issue. Otherwise, the Board of Police Commissioners will be forced to continue pursuing injunctive relief in order to fulfill our duties as outlined by the Missouri Legislature. “The Board of Police Commissioners stands ready to negotiate next year’s budget, and we hope to continue dialogue with the Mayor, the City Council and other stakeholders. Our goal is to work together to strengthen and improve the services we provide to the diverse population of Kansas City, Missouri.”Police board member Nathan Garrett – a staunch defender of the department and law enforcement in general – called Lucas’ moves on the police budget “a complete ambush” of the Board of Police Commissioners and the department. The Lucas plan takes $42.2 million of the police budget of about $240 million, shifting it to community services and crime prevention.Garrett said that he believes the city and mayor are trying to gain control over a department governed by the state. He doesn’t believe they can do that.”I will tell you we are evaluating our legal options and we will pursue whatever we need to do to protect the men and women of this department,” Garrett said last week.The board met Friday telephonically, and no board members were present at KCPD headquarters. After a very short open phone conference meeting, lasting about one minute, the board went into a closed session to discuss the litigation. Lucas was the only board member that voted no against having the meeting go into closed session.In a news conference Friday afternoon, Lucas said the city is prepared to fight the lawsuit all the way to the Supreme Court, if that’s what it takes. He is also confident the city will win the suit and win control over police funding.“The truth is we have a problem,” Lucas said. “The truth is the city council is committed to solving. And the truth is, Kansas City needs to work together and truly care about how we keep ourselves safe. And there’s another truth, Jefferson City has not worked to make us safer. We are committed to being safer right here in Kansas City.”In a tweet after the lawsuit was announced, one of the four Northland state representatives repeated the call for a special session in the Missouri Legislature to attempt to block the shift in funds by city hall.”Mayor Lucas & the @KCMO Council have stirred it up,” Rep. Doug Richey said in a tweet. “Now we have growing calls for de-annexation of Northland KC. He could’ve avoided this by using normal and transparent processes. I’m sure they don’t want to lose 40% of their population or the majority of their tax revenue.”
The Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners voted 4-1 Friday to file litigation after city hall budget changes reallocated $42 million from the Kansas City Police Department’s budget.
During a 35-minute meeting held in a closed session, the board voted to sue the city council, the city manager and Mayor Quinton Lucas “to enforce the board’s rights, responsibilities, and authorities under Chapter 84 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri in such form as the litigation committee may deem appropriate.” Chapter 84 is the Missouri law that allows the state to maintain oversight of the Kansas City Police Department.
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The lawsuit was filed in Jackson County Circuit Court.
Last week, the city council passed two new ordinances that reallocated more than $40 million of KCPD’s budget for specific crime prevention efforts.
The ordinances were introduced and passed within six hours last week. It involves moving more than $42 million from the police budget to a new community service and prevention fund. Spending of that money would have to be approved by the city manager and the police board, which is the group overseeing the police department.
[ FULL MINUTES FROM POLICE BOARD CLOSED SESSION VOTE ]
The board’s litigation is an attempt to get the ordinances overturned and return the funding back to their control based on their claim that Kansas City, Missouri, does not have the right to control the KCPD budget.
Friday afternoon, Bishop Mark Tolbert, president of the Board of Police Commissioners, released a statement on behalf of the board:
“While I understand the frustration of the Mayor, the City Council and some citizens of Kansas City, Missouri, I also understand that we must abide by the laws enacted by our Missouri Legislature.
“In March 2021, the City appropriated funds for the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department’s operating expenses for the year. An unexpected $42 million change to our budget risks a disruption in services to our citizens.
“I ask that the Mayor and the City Council withdraw the two ordinances at issue. Otherwise, the Board of Police Commissioners will be forced to continue pursuing injunctive relief in order to fulfill our duties as outlined by the Missouri Legislature.
“The Board of Police Commissioners stands ready to negotiate next year’s budget, and we hope to continue dialogue with the Mayor, the City Council and other stakeholders. Our goal is to work together to strengthen and improve the services we provide to the diverse population of Kansas City, Missouri.”
Police board member Nathan Garrett – a staunch defender of the department and law enforcement in general – called Lucas’ moves on the police budget “a complete ambush” of the Board of Police Commissioners and the department.
The Lucas plan takes $42.2 million of the police budget of about $240 million, shifting it to community services and crime prevention.
Garrett said that he believes the city and mayor are trying to gain control over a department governed by the state. He doesn’t believe they can do that.
“I will tell you we are evaluating our legal options and we will pursue whatever we need to do to protect the men and women of this department,” Garrett said last week.
The board met Friday telephonically, and no board members were present at KCPD headquarters.
After a very short open phone conference meeting, lasting about one minute, the board went into a closed session to discuss the litigation. Lucas was the only board member that voted no against having the meeting go into closed session.
In a news conference Friday afternoon, Lucas said the city is prepared to fight the lawsuit all the way to the Supreme Court, if that’s what it takes. He is also confident the city will win the suit and win control over police funding.
“The truth is we have a problem,” Lucas said. “The truth is the city council is committed to solving. And the truth is, Kansas City needs to work together and truly care about how we keep ourselves safe. And there’s another truth, Jefferson City has not worked to make us safer. We are committed to being safer right here in Kansas City.”
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In a tweet after the lawsuit was announced, one of the four Northland state representatives repeated the call for a special session in the Missouri Legislature to attempt to block the shift in funds by city hall.
“Mayor Lucas & the @KCMO Council have stirred it up,” Rep. Doug Richey said in a tweet. “Now we have growing calls for de-annexation of Northland KC. He could’ve avoided this by using normal and transparent processes. I’m sure they don’t want to lose 40% of their population or the majority of their tax revenue.”