Columnist ERIC WESSON notes two candidates . . . AND POINTS OUT THE CLEAN RECORD OF THE NOMINEES IN LIGHT OF A RECENT KCPD LOBBYIST FINE DINING SCANDAL:
"At the end of the year Mayor-elect Sly James will have the opportunity to nominate either Kevin Masters or Darryl Forte as the City’s first African American Chief of Police.
"It is not my position that any of these men be appointed simply because they are African Americans, but because they are both very qualified men who won’t disappoint us by being caught up in some sort of silly scandal.
We all know that African American men have to be three times better and four times as clean as our white counterparts when seeking to expand our horizons.
I was thrilled that neither Masters nor Forte were not caught up in that Capitol Grill $500 lunch scandal, but you had to be in the “network” to be invited to one of those type of lunches. I don’t think neither one of them qualified.
I will say that I believe that either Masters or Forte will work diligently to help change the culture in the department while Harrell may be able to change the culture in the prosecutor’s office.
It will be interesting to see how the community responds to this great opportunity for change."
Again . . . TKC TIPSTERS give the edge to Deputy Chief Kevin Masters . . . but this perspective that we referred to previously is certainly worth highlighting.
DEVELOPING . . .
Masters is a nice guy, but has baggage. So far he is one of the few commanders to have ever received discipline. If the dept promotes from within I would bet on Forte.
ReplyDelete"It is not my position that any of these men be appointed simply because they are African Americans". Yea, right! I'm surprised TKC isn't lobbying for a wetback.
ReplyDeleteHire the best candidate. Forget about skin color
ReplyDeleteskin color is a way of life in K.C.
ReplyDeleteMasters displinary action was bullshit.And if that is it Ritter should have one too!
ReplyDeleteHire from the outside.
ReplyDeleteMayor James does have a great opporutnity, but it's not the one that Eric Wesson feels is so important.
ReplyDeleteThis is a chance to move beyond the tired old and utterly counterproductive victimization
and entitlement way of doing business that has already been rejected by the city's younger leaders and has brought the east side to its current diastrous state.
The new chief needs to come from as large a pool of candidates as possible, and certainly including candidates from around the country.
It's way past time for Troost Avenue to no longer represent the old attitudes, frozen in time, which have both caused such corrosive events and have prevented the greater community from taking advantage of and offering opportunities to more of the city's residents.
An opportunity to turn the page and move forward requires both leadership and the courage to withstand the criticism of those who have benefitted for many years from the status quo.
We'll see the true mettle of the mayor and the police board.
DEar Mr. Tony: Race and gender factors are irrelevant to picking the new police chief. The current police chief of my old home town, Washington, DC, is a white policewoman--and she is doing a superb job--in 2010 DC had the lowest number of homicides since 1963. We have to hire the best possible person for the job regardless of race or gender. For my money, if the most qualified person to end the ongoing explosion of violence in the black neighborhoods of KCMO is a black lesbian policewoman, then hire her immediately!! And, if the most qualified person to stop this bloodbath is a straight white male,then hire him immediately!! Stopping this three year old explosion of violence in the black neighborhoods of our city is our priority, not playing Politically Correct games. Take care. Sincerely and Respectfully, Ernest Evans
ReplyDeleteIf they hire a black the force will be destroyed.
ReplyDeleteForte is the best candidate. He a super nice guy that has worked his way up the ranks. Masters to much baggage.
ReplyDeleteWe need a black, handicapped, lesbian, cancer survivor, post sex change, foreign-born, one eyed police chief for our city. Since adjectives are so important, why do we stop at one?
ReplyDeleteI don't care if they hire Tarzan,or Kunta Kenta, make sure we let him/her, or it get the job done. There will be plenty of evaluators watching no matter who it is.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it when a black person is qualified then the conversation shifts to the best qualified candidate? When they both are qualified and I think that is what Wesson stated. White candidates automatically get a implied reference for the job simply because they are white.
ReplyDeleteIf Terry (O') Riley can run as an Irishman, why can't a "Black Irish" cop be Chief?
ReplyDeleteWhy is it that when a black person is qualified for the job, people like 8:35 say "you have to hire him. he's BLAAAAACCCCKKK."
ReplyDeleteyou are right african american males commit 3 to 4 times more crime than there white counterparts...
ReplyDeletethere white counterparts...
ReplyDeleteWhy are bigots so stupid?
"their White counterparts?"
Ernest that is your best post. No mention of the surge.
ReplyDeleteMasters' discipline was bullshit??? My only conclusion is that Kevin wrote that himself. It was most definitely NOT bullshit..if he'd been anything but a DC he would've caught a lot worse. The Board will give this to Forte without thinking twice. Masters has shown a total lack of leadership and judgment and the Board is on to him. The final nail in the coffin for Masters - The Call is pulling for him.
ReplyDeleteNope. The Call is pulling for Forte.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's a shame that people are slamming these candidates here when they both are great for the job.
Let's work together people. Or these fuckers pushing for an outside hire will get their way.
The police department is fortunate to have several strong candidates for the chief's position. I have had a lot of contact with many of their senior staffers and find that Forte' to be not only qualified, but extremely conscious of the issues most important to our city. He has no baggage that needs to be cleaned up and is well liked by the rank and file. He is the best candidate for the job, period, regardless of race.
ReplyDeleteI saw a brutal honesty in Forte when I met him, it would have scared me, turned me against him if I was a weakminded person, but after prayer(me), and reflection, what I see in Forte is what is actually needed here in Kansas City. I think the time is right for him, IS KANSAS CITY READY TO DEAL WITH THE HONESTY that WILL CERTAINLY ROLL DOWN LIKE WATERS, if Forte has a chance to do the job, I WONDER! I have a confidence in this man, a painful confidence, but remember NO PAIN, NO GAIN! If this man gets the job Kansas City(INNER CITY) IS GONNA CHANGE, I ASSURE YOU IT IS!
ReplyDeleteMaurice Copeland
Who wrote this letter - Curtis' mother?
ReplyDeleteCURTIS GOT SLAPPED BY A WHITE TEACHER!!!
thanks for correcting my post, not bigot just stating the facts. look at south kc,downtown..them is the facts. I know its not politicaly correct but truth always hurts the most..douche
ReplyDeleteForte is the guy for the job. The way I see it he is a hell of a guy who is very qualifed and HAPPENS to be black.
ReplyDeleteWhy are black guys' ____s so much longer?
ReplyDeleteThe malt liquor does it.
ReplyDeleteIntegrity/Honesty/Compassion/ Educated/ Accomplished/Experience/Respected by community and the rank and file/Color blind
ReplyDeleteAll attributes of the great Chief Clarence Kelly! Kansas City has a great one coming up the ranks just like him.