As we warned at the outset of the week . . . The push for so-called "local control" is ramping up and Kansas City social justice warriors are recruiting allies and strident police opposition to take part in the effort.
And so, today the KCPD Chief shared this COMPREHENSIVE BLOG POST in order to address the political challenges.
Checkit:
KCPD's unique governance model serves Kansas City well
Main argument . . .
"As it does every few years, the question of “local control” of the Kansas City Missouri Police Department has resurfaced. The KCPD is governed by a Board of Police Commissioners appointed by the Governor of Missouri and confirmed by the State Senate. They all are residents of Kansas City, Mo. The elected mayor of Kansas City also has a seat on the Board. That’s why the issue at hand isn’t really “local control” but local political control. The Kansas City Council funds the Department, according to state statute. We have operated this way since 1939, when rampant corruption caused the state to take control of the department.
"Many say that model is outdated. We believe, however, that it has served the people of Kansas City well for 80 years and will continue to do so."
Here's the latest talking point that deserves consideration and the strongest defense we've seen so far . . .
"The most common argument I hear against our governance model is that we are the only one in the nation who has it. Being unique is not a negative thing. Perhaps we should be seen as the leader after which other agencies should model themselves. Look out a little farther, however, and you’ll see that we’re not that different. The majority of municipal Canadian police departments are overseen by civilian boards of police commissioners, just like KCPD’s. Police are governed this way in most major Canadian cities, including Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton and Ottawa.
Defense against the murder rate blame game . . .
"I also hear that our unique system of governance must somehow be the source of the stubborn homicide rate in our city. The other nine cities on the list of the nation’s 10 Most Dangerous Cities have local political control, and that has done nothing to abate the violence in their communities. Many of those cities also have experienced unrest that we haven’t.
Political priorites . . .
"We have a Board of Police Commissioners who can focus entirely upon governing the police department. City Councilmembers have many other important functions to oversee, from the airport to street maintenance to sewers. We are fortunate to have an oversight board in which our department is their sole priority. They can review policies and procedures at length. They also are open to public input and have requested it on many occasions, like during the last selection process for Chief of Police. Every month, the Board meets to publicly go over the department’s finances, policies and other items, as well as take comments from the community. You would be hard-pressed to find another City department that gets this level of public scrutiny on a monthly basis."
As always, we encourage Kansas City voters to read the Chief's post in its entirety and consider the implications of a political change up.
You decide . . .