TKC MUST READ!!! KANSAS CITY POLICE CHIEF ARGUES FOR RANK AND FILE PAY RAISE AMID RECENT CUTBACKS, MORE CITY HALL EMPLOYEE SPENDING AND INCREASED ATTACKS AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT!!!
Just now, Kansas City's top cop published a request for more cash to fund the employees of the KCPD.
This ask is controversial given that critics constantly question a high percentage of City Hall funds directed to public safety. However, focusing strictly on funding for the rank and file puts the issue into perspective for men and women who put their lives on the line every day.
Question for tonight . . .
DO YOU SUPPORT SALARY INCREASES FOR THE KCPD AMID GREATER CITY HALL SPENDING AND THE RISE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST POLICE THIS YEAR???
It's an important question and we're linking and posting the words of the Chief in order to offer a place for discussion at Kansas City's last free speech zone dedicated to the local discourse and not social media triviality.
KCPD Chief Forté: Police deserve same raises as employees of other City services
We are always working to make the Kansas City Missouri Police Department a first-class law enforcement agency with members of the highest quality to serve the people of our community. I want to ensure our department recruits and retains public servants of the highest caliber who reflect the make-up of our city.
Numerous things have made that more difficult in recent years: the increased scrutiny police are under nationwide, the increased danger they are facing (officers killed by firearms so far this year are up 47 percent compared to this date last year), and issues of morale and pay.
As I wrote here earlier this year, we have eliminated more than 100 law enforcement and 100 non-sworn positions to stay within our budget. Despite these efforts to ensure police are not taking an outsize portion of the City budget, it appears the police department is slated to receive the lowest raises of any City services over the next three years.
in the City’s Five-Year Citywide Business Plan, which Council Members are set to vote on Thursday, employees of all other City services are slated to receive raises ranging from 2.5 to 4.7 percent each of the next three years. During that time, KCPD members are only set to receive 2 percent raises each year. The members of our department deserve equal pay treatment with the employees of other City services. The Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners adopted a resolution stating the need for this parity in 2011.
The Olathe, Kansas, Police Department conducted a police compensation analysis in May of this year, comparing the salaries and benefits of area public safety departments. That showed KCPD officers had the highest starting salary in the metro area, but we fell to 10th place out of the 12 agencies compared for officers who had reached their top pay step.
In an urban environment with high workloads, significant violent crime and intensive scrutiny, it can be difficult enough to retain high-quality officers and non-sworn staff. A financial plan that does not value police employees as much as employees of other City services has the potential to negatively impact police morale and employee retention.
To continue to serve our city with the highest-quality employees, I support KCPD members receiving annual salary increases on par with those in City services.
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You decide . . .
Can't we just take the funds from Mayor Sly's office who has spent twice as much on salary as any other mayor in Kansas City history?
ReplyDeleteI'd rather pay police than political lackeys on the 29th floor.
This is really a tough question for conservatives.
ReplyDeleteTalk all you want about "blue lives matter" but if you aren't willing to put your money where your mouth is, you're just another armchair big mouth.
Pay the police properly.
ReplyDeleteOr at least offer them comped rooms at the new luxury hotel that Kansas City is subsidizing with their pension money.
Fair is fair.
How about a pay for results plan?
ReplyDelete5:56 is a cocksucker. Like Byron. Loves the knob on the tonsils.
ReplyDeleteForte's sick way of saying all the crime is because his staff isn't paid enough. So in the end whose fault is that Forte? It's yours Forte, thats who.
ReplyDeleteYou gotta pay police. We need more police and fewer fire fighters. There is way more crime than fire if you take out all the abandoned buildings.
ReplyDeleteThis is what the Chief gets for going along with Sly. The Mayor will smile to your face as he's cutting your throat.
ReplyDeleteAn officer with 6 years tenure at KCMO makes nearly $12k less than a KCK Officer with 2 years. And nearly $20k less than a KCK officer with 6-7 years on.
ReplyDeleteThe chief is doing the right thing by making this an issue. We need to support police with something besides Facebook posts.
ReplyDeleteGive the public some positive results and come see us when you have productivity up. We all get raises for results, not just taking up space.
ReplyDeleteEasy to say when the public are the ones who refuse to be witnesses or give info to solve crimes. Also 8 detectives investigating 4000+ assaults each year, averages about a month and half before a case gets worked. By then all your witnesses and evidence are gone. But hey, we have a toy train so who cares
ReplyDeleteReally makes you want to work for the city and the popo dept. Just think how you will be treated. There needs to be a huge call for voulenteerism. The city can't get the work done. If people freely give their time to this worthy cause, so much more good will happen. This is especially true for the water services. Tax payer money is just being horrendously squandered. If we take money out of the equation, the work that is done will be truly auspicious.
ReplyDeleteIf you think the cops are treated bad, trying being a civilian worker for the cops. The lowest of the Lows.
ReplyDeleteKCPD is a joke.
ReplyDeleteTo Protect and Whine.
I wonder what 7:04 is talking about.
ReplyDeleteIf he used his name, then I could write,"*name* is a cocksucker.
But, he chose to be bravely anonymous so no one could say mean things to him.
At least the chimp realizes he can't sit on his ass in the office unless street cops actually show up on a call once in awhile,
ReplyDeleteMost city employees are getting 2% just as they are and have had just as many cuts. More areas exist than just city hall. There are
ReplyDeleteother dangerous jobs that are not in PD.
How about giving up take home police, fire, water, and public works tax payer vehicles. Use that money for salaries.
ReplyDeleteI have been a City employee since 1999 and I have received one 2% raise in four years and nothing else. Cry me a river.
ReplyDeleteThe Cops are a bunch of cry babies.
ReplyDeleteSince when does the police department consider itself part of the city? Seems to me they make sure everyone knows they are separate, and they report to the state. So, shouldn't they compare their salary increase to state employees and not city employees?
ReplyDeleteThe public is considered as "enemy combatants" and when the money train came to a stop cops are trying to find work from those enemies.
ReplyDelete