Check out a HUGE development in a statement from the local NAACP branch . . . Recently, there was a debate on this issue by the NAACP but it looks like they have now reached a conclusion on what they think should be the future of Kansas City's Police Department. This could define not only this election but how Kansas City looks in the future.
CHECK IT:
NAACP SUPPORTS LOCAL CONTROL OF POLICE DEPARTMENT
On February 15, 2011, a motion ended in a majority vote by the Executive Committee of the Kansas City, Missouri NAACP to support local control for the Kansas City Police Department and to encourage a meaningful community discussion of this issue.
The current system of governance was due to the corruption generated by the Thomas Pendergast machine during the 1920s and 1930s. The reason for state control of the police department no longer exists. St. Louis is just a few steps away from gaining local control of its police department. Kansas City will be the only city in the nation that does not control its police department.
The following factors are the basis for supporting local control:
● The police department budget is the largest single item in the Kansas City, Missouri’s annual budget. With duplicate human resource departments, vehicle maintenance, supplies and employee benefits, there should be cost savings and efficiencies that may be obtained by local control.
● There should be greater effectiveness and efficiency between the County law enforcement and the police department by the elimination of a governing body that is not responsible for the budget.
● The discussion and agenda for local control should be driven by the Kansas City
community and not substantially influenced by outside money interests.
● As the last City without local control of the police department, Kansas City, Missouri will be in the unique position, based on community discussion, to design the best features for local control.
With a change in our city governance on March 22, 2011, it is time to fully explore the positives and negatives of having the Kansas City police department under local control.
Anita L. Russell is president of the NAACP branch and can be contacted at (816) ### - ####