Kansas City 'Community Policing & Prevention Fund' By The Numbers

Behind the scenes, supporters of Mayor Q debate with our blog community about the so-called police "defund" and this year's budget process. 

We've consistently asked for a budget but it looks like the closest that we'll get is an executive summary and an outline that hopes to diffuse pro-police criticism by offering raises.

Still, we acknowledge that there are numbers out there that deserve further scrutiny.

In fairness, here's the important part from Ordinance #220216 . . .

The City of Kansas City, Missouri establishes its expectation regarding the use of funds appropriated to the Board of Police Commissioners of Kansas City, Missouri from the Community Policing and Prevention Fund, pursuant to funding requested by the Department in excess of statutory mandate, and that such appropriation fund the following initiatives: 

a) Hiring of Officers  $4,000,000.00
b) Salary Increases - $5,152,653.00
c) Dedicated patrol and community outreach staff  - $4,678,763.00
d) Full-time dedicated Crisis Intervention (CIT) officers - $550,228.00
e) 9-1-1 Call Takers and Communications Unit operations - $6,570,400.00
f) Bullet-Proof Vest Life-Saving Equipment - $175,000.00
g) Inmate/Detainee Food and Beverage - $30,000.00

h) Remaining Community Policing and Prevention Funds shall be assigned to the Department and used in the following areas as requested in the Department’s Letter of January 21, 2022

i. Violent Crimes Division victim and witness support services
ii. Special Operations Division and Traffic
iii. Police Crime Laboratory

Again, our complaint is that this really doesn't offer much more detail than numbers from police that incur the political wrath of 12th & Oak. And there's the potential here for a great deal of padding for political activists disguised as law enforcement resources. 

Still . . . We're getting closer to the "truth" inasmuch as the public realizes this whole crusade is really just a slap fight over money.

Developing . . .