Explaining Mayor Q's Contradictions On Defunding Kansas City Police

A thoughtful note takes the mayor and his team at their word.

However . . . Here's a more useful pro-tip . . . 

MAYOR & COUNCIL CRINGE AND CRY FOUL WHENEVER THEY'RE HIT WITH FAR MORE EFFECTIVE "DEFUND POLICE" CRITICISM!!!

Still . . . This column should help our readers understand the argument more effectively . . .

Lucas has two positions on policing. First, and what got us here, was his effort to redirect funding from police activities into “newer approaches to violence prevention.” He doesn’t believe an increase in funding for the KCPD would be useful in countering rising violent crime. Yet his spokesperson Jazzlyn Johnson tells me more funding “can support law enforcement success.” Which is it?

Research tells us increasing police officers reduces homicides and pays a dividend in crime reduction. Lucas knows this too — it seems he just wants to be on both sides of the funding argument.

Lucas also asserts the KCPD is not sufficiently under the thumb of local politicians. But the mayor exerted more control over Kansas City policing than any other Missouri politician. Johnson apparently recognizes this, lauding the mayor’s work in getting “leadership change at KCPD, higher pay for officers, and closer relationships between the police department and our community.”

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

Quinton Lucas has nobody but himself to blame for Kansas City police funding failure | Opinion

His arguments about the Kansas City Police Department budget are contradictory and don't hold up to scrutiny. | Opinion