The prospect of "local control" is mostly likely an inevitability but that doesn't mean that Kansas City residents, police rank & file nor politicos have to like it.
Today there was a minor bit of adjustment for the Kansas City Police "local control" effort that's tantamount to City Hall takeover of the institution. Now it's a change in state law and not the constitution . . .
More importantly . . .
CHECK THE BEST COMMENTS FROM OUR KICK-ASS BLOG COMMUNITY QUESTIONING IF THIS MOVE WILL ACTUALLY HELP POLICE AND NEIGHBORHOODS AT THE STREET LEVEL!!!
Take a look:
City Hall Management Suspect
"Just look at how well the city runs their schools, water department and wastes money on stupid projects. If the city takes control they will have the ability to fully manage the pd budget by taking money and funds from them and giving them to the streetcar and 18th and vine . . "
Top Down Leadership Concerns
"The City should think twice about wanting control. They have a built-in excuse now to buffer them from criticism over the homicides and rampant violent crime in the inner city. The Mayor's recent task force and their inability to come up with a single viable means to address that issue should be enough to scare them away from wanting to be accountable for crime in this city. The problem with the current police board is they don't have the balls to fire an ineffective Chief. A board appointed by a Republican governor won't be as hesitant to fire the Chief in Jackson County. Once Forte is gone officers can get back to the business of policing the violent inner city, local control or not."
Follow The Money
"Nothing more than a worthless debate of form over function. If other departments in KCMO government were well-managed, effective, responsive to residents, and cost-effective, and the KCPD were none of those things, it might be worthwhile to consider local control. But KCMO is consistently the 5th worst managed city in the country. Why would anyone imagine that jumping from the frying pan into the fire would make anything better? Just follow the money."
KCPD Insider Deets
"Anyone who thinks the Board controls or in any way oversees the Chief has obviously never been to a Board Meeting. While patrol manpower was gutted, Homicide squads were cut to 4 people, and needless promotions crippled the PD, the Board was asking questions about academy diversity. I challenge the council to screw the place up worse."
More to the point . . . Let's not forget that both City Manager and quite a few City Council members have said, in public, that getting control of police pensions is INEVITABLY part of this deal. Meanwhile it's interesting to see KCPD take part in these negotiations along with activists who have long been pushing for more community oversight and a change in police tactics.
Developing . . .
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