A Kansas City promo for this coming week and the long journey toward political influence putting their fingerprints on yet another important institution . . .
Should Kansas City Locally Control Its Police Department?
Thursday, April 4, 2013, 6:00 p.m., Central Library, 14 W. 10th St., Kansas City MO
It may be called the Kansas City Police Department, but in fact our primary law enforcement organization is run a board of commissioners appointed by the governor.
Under state law, Kansas City's Police Department is controlled by a five-member Board of Police Commissioners . . . four Kansas City, Missouri residents appointed by the Governor plus the Mayor . . . who run our Police Department under a model going back to Civil War days intended to insulate law enforcement from politics and corruption.
A separate police board was the common practice in those days. But most cities, including St. Louis, have since gone to direct control of their police departments by their city councils. In fact, Kansas City is the only city in the nation today with a state-appointed police board.
Is everything really "up-to-date in Kansas City?" On the other hand, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it?" Come find out!
Moderator Dave Helling of The Kansas City Star and a panel of experts will examine the history, pros and cons of this arrangement vs. direct control by Kansas City's Mayor and City Council on Thursday, April 4, 2013, at 6:00 p.m., at the Central Library, Downtown, 14 W. 10th St. (Food and beverage reception at 6:00 p.m. Program begins at 6:30 p.m.)
Panelists include former Police Board Commissioner Karl Zobrist, former Police Chief Jim Corwin, City Councilman Ed Ford, and Steve Glorioso, the Kansas City campaign manager for last year's statewide vote changing the police governance law for St. Louis to local control.
Citizens are invited to bring questions and comments about local control of the Police Department, or email them in advance to citizensproject@kclibrary.org. A background fact sheet will be posted on the Citizens Association's and the Kansas City Public Library's websites the week before the forum.
Admission is free. RSVP at kclibrary.org or call 816.701.3407. Free parking is available in the Library District Parking Garage at 10th and Balitmore.
This is the second of four Citizens Project forums in 2013 exploring key public policy issues facing Kansas City. Future topics include the KCI Airport Terminal Replacement and Kansas and Missouri Economic Development Border Wars.
Over 200 people filled the auditorium for a full house at the first forum on Long-Range Financial Planning for Kansas City in January, so come early to get a seat!
The series is co-sponsored by the Citizens Association and the Kansas City Public Library.
#######
How would anything change?
ReplyDeleteWe already have oversight by a group of Kansas city residents.
The City already controls the budget.
What we don't have is local POLITICAL control.
If this results in more resources, then maybe yes, it would be better. If that is the case, why weren't those resources directed toward public safety before? Is it because of frustration from the politicians regarding a current lack of say in the distribution of said resources?
The questions to be asked are:
How does this make Kansas city safer?
Do you trust the city council to provide better oversight than the current system?
The police have already demonstrated themselves to be more willing to discuss pension reform/changes than the fire department. The police have already agreed to join health care systems with the city.
Any delay related to these actions can be linked to discussing the facts and details regarding complicated issues.
I have seen the performance from the council on many issues in the past. (Fire / mast consolidation). I'll take the current governance until I see an actual plan with some actual details.
Until then' no thanks.
YES YES YES FOR Local Control.
ReplyDeleteYES YES YES FOR Local Control.
YES YES YES FOR Local Control.
YES YES YES FOR Local Control.
YES YES YES FOR Local Control.
YES YES YES FOR Local Control.
YES YES YES FOR Local Control.
YES YES YES FOR Local Control.
Do you really want the same folks who stole from the bus fund to get a hold of the police?
ReplyDeleteSure, remember all the command staff throwing away tax payer money while wining and dining at the Capital Grille?
ReplyDeleteYour right. And the city has never wasted tax dollars. Oh wait, never mind.
ReplyDeleteHow does this make the city safer?
Oh wait, look at the high crime rate and low clearance rate. Time for Change.
ReplyDeleteI'm not against change. Just tell me how this is going to make anything better.
ReplyDeleteBe careful of what you ask. Let's think NO TO LOCAL CONTROL. Crime is not related to local or state control. So, what's the beef? Get real!
ReplyDeleteHow is ed Ford an expert? Anybody??????
ReplyDeleteThe experts and individuals involved with this process turned down the offer to be involved with this discussion. This group will have no input from the stakeholders. Another do nothing group.
ReplyDeleteGonna be a bunch of j-bugs running it either way, so it hardly matters.
ReplyDeleteNFUE.
Why do we constantly have to be like other cities? I believe there are legitimate concerns with local politicians having an equal vote on things such as public safety. How will we be shielded from City Hall raiding police funds to keep #kcstreetcar on schedule once it inevitably incurs cost over runs? We already know where City Council's priorities are.
ReplyDeleteThat PD was a hell of a lot less of a pain in the ass when the mob was running things. Hell yeah! That is the local control we need.
ReplyDeleteEveryone has an agenda...But I see NOONE are actually out trying to get input of what works and what doesn't in regard to the policies they are trying to create?
ReplyDeleteI find it funny they don't even ask those who actually have to do the job across the board. Police, Fire, EMS, etc.
MAST was good and had their sh*t together. Fire not so much and is bad for any medical. Everyone knows this who works closely.
Should we trust our City Gov? It's your call KC..
The city is going to go through all this "citizens committees", blue ribbon panels, public input, meeting and BS when this is already a done deal. It's going to happen folks.
ReplyDeleteSly wants control of KCPD budget so he can steal money from it just like he did with the bus system.
ReplyDelete