Kansas City Police Board Delays Top Cop Decision & Hires Lawyer After Open Letter Crisis

This has already been a tough week for KCPD . . .

An open letter provided a great deal of political outrage and a forum for the new boss was confronted by sabotage from activists along with, of course, Mayor Q.

Here's a peek at damage control following an open letter . . .

The Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners will hire a law firm to investigate allegations made by a former department attorney who said the police force’s legal unit purposely hid criminal evidence and wrongly denied public records requests, according to Mayor Quinton Lucas.

Former assistant general counsel Ryan McCarty on Saturday laid out a litany of alleged wrongdoing in an eight-page letter, saying the police department’s general counsel Holly Dodge closed records that should be available to the public under the Missouri Open Records Law.

“We want to have a thorough investigation,” said Lucas, a member of the police board. “We will work with counsel that we have a relationship with to make that report and will look at every allegation that’s been raised to make sure that we can verify that all rules have been followed.

“And if there are any concerns, we will make sure that we correct them.”

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Kansas City Police board to investigate whistleblower claims

The Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners on Tuesday announced it will investigate a whistleblower's explosive claims that the department's chief attorney unethically funneled criminal evidence away from prosecutors and denied public records requests.

Some frustrated as police board delays announcement for new KCPD chief

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The wait continues to see who the next Kansas City, Missouri police chief will be. On Tuesday, the board of police commissioners announced they needed more time to make a decision but some aren't happy with that outcome. The board will be meeting Thursday.

'A total lack of institutional control at KCPD'

Kansas City mayor Quinton Lucas discusses a bombshell whistleblower complaint from a former KCPD lawyer, who alleges the police department hid criminal case evidence and illegally withheld public records. He also criticizes how the police board is conducting the hiring process for a new chief.

KCMO leaders respond to allegations against KCPD interim chief, general counsel

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - When members of the Kansas City, Missouri, Board of Police Commissioners met for their monthly meeting Tuesday, they did so amidst allegations of mismanagement made by a former KCPD attorney.

No new chief announced Tuesday; BOPC to reconvene Thursday

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas City, Missouri, Board of Police Commissioners adjourned Tuesday from its regularly-scheduled monthly meeting with no announcement for who might select as the city's next Chief of Police. Following the public portion of their meeting Monday, commissioners met for a closed session.

Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners punts chief decision to later this week, opens whistle blower complaint investigation

Kansas City's police board on Tuesday announced it needed more time to name the city's 47th police chief. The decision to delay any announcement about a chief until Thursday at the earliest comes after community concerns about the process.The board is considering three finalists, including acting KCPD Deputy Chief Stacey Graves, Philadelphia police inspector Deshawn Beaufort, and Scott Ebner, who recently retired from the New Jersey state police.

Local activist urges police board not to select new KCPD chief yet

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A well-known Kansas City activist and former police commissioner is urging the police board to hold off on selecting its next chief. Alvin Brooks penned a letter to the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners on Monday. The 90-year-old has served Kansas City in a number of ways for nearly 70 years.

Developing . . .