TKC EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KCPD CHIEF DARRYL FORTÉ ON KANSAS CITY HOMICIDES, DIVERSITY WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND IMPROVING COMMUNICATION WITH THE COMMUNITY!!!
Today every resident of Kansas City was offered an opportunity to speak with this town's top cop.
One of the most interesting aspects of today's Kansas City Police Department Community Forum was a series of 5 minute one-on-one interviews offered by Chief Forté.
THIS KCPD MOVE TO TALK WITH THE PUBLIC IS UNPRECEDENTED AND A REALLY SMART WAY TO DEMONSTRATE THAT COMMUNITY VOICES CAN BE HEARD AT THE VERY TOP LEVELS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT!!!
As always, I was early and noticed that Chief Forté already talking with residents attending the forum. A very helpful member of the KCPD media team told me about he one-on-one sessions and offered me the opportunity to grab an interview before a crowd formed.
(Not TKC, but a view from outside these new one-on-one community interviews with the KCPD Chief)
The first thing I noticed was Chief Forté's up front and no nonsense style. These interviews didn't seem like they were an effort to provide reassurance but instead revealed that even the Chief Of Kansas City's Police Department is actively listening to what the community is saying.
I started my interview with what I think is the most important question in Kansas City life right now.
TKC: The community was told that they need to give the "Hot Spot" Program time to work. Right now our homicide levels are pretty much at the same place they were last year. Is there a specific date we can look forward to reevaluating the "Hot Spot" effort to gauge its effectiveness?
Chief Forté: "There is no set date where we are going to conclude the hot spot strategy. It is a tactic that responds to the fact that a great deal of our homicides are within specific area of our city. What I think it more important for the public to realize is that the Hot Spot program has helped us improve our clearance rate and really fostered better relations with the community."
TKC: Can you tell me specifically how the hot spot program is helping improve the clearance rate?
Chief Forté: "We're getting officers out of their cars and focusing on developing relationships with people in the community. People are starting to know the names of police officers and that builds trust. We're already seeing improvement in the quality and quantity of tips and information that the public gives us in order to help curb homicides. In fact, in some instances we've been able to help prevent situations from developing into violent alternations."
TKC: Recently you have talked and blogged about improving diversity within the KCPD. What has been the reaction to that effort?
Chief Forté: That's a subject where people have very strong feelings about what they perceive to be the end game of diversity. But the fact is that a more diverse Police Department that looks more like the community it serves helps facilitate more community involvement and trust. From my own personal experience I can tell you that people have given me tips about local murders and crimes and I'm sure that part of that is because I'm a high ranking Black officer. It's something that some of us don't like to talk about but there is a level of trust there given the sometimes divisive history of Kansas City."
During this part of the discussion Chief Forté noted that he's currently teaching a program about diversity to neighboring police departments and he plans to deliver the same instruction to commanders in the KCPD. Chief Forté also lamented the fact that there are no Hispanic KCPD Commanders despite the fact that local Latino population exceeds 10%.
Still, Chief Forté clarified his vision of diversity within the KCPD . . .
Chief Forté: "Diversity does not mean lowering standards for minority candidates."
My last questions as more people lined up to meet with the Chief . . .
TKC: What would you like your legacy to be . . . When people think of your Administration what's the first thing that should come to mind?
Chief Forté: "More than anything else I want my time leading this Department to be about fostering better communication with the community and creating and improving upon systems to that facilitate interactions between the Department and the public."
To than end, KCPD Chief Forté will continue to have these Community Forums every quarter. In the next forum there will be an opportunity for the public to pose questions directly to KCPD officials and possibly talk with the Chief one-on-one if they show up early.
DEVELOPING . . .
Not bad, Pancho.
ReplyDeleteWell will give the Chief some credit to sit in a chair and let the public fire questions at him.
ReplyDeleteBut better relations with the public and the public help has to help lower some of the gang/thug/troublemakers type killing. At least one would think so.
i m willing to bet that tkc or anyone else there ask the chief about the group of 8 black officers watching the backs of other blacks. and they were all high ranking.
ReplyDeleteGood job, Tony. Kudos to your chief. No official has made themselves available like that since Lincoln.
ReplyDeleteAnon 3:00 PM - Next time they have one of these, you can go & ask that question yourself.
It starts with the Jackson County prosecutors office. The community and others can help the PD identify and catch criminals but time after time the prosecutors office doesn't file charges. A friend of mine was shot at in her vehicle by a guy who's brother she testified against a few years prior. She identified him, wanted to prosecute, and the suspect was taken into custody. PD presented the case to JACO and they did not file charges. The suspect was released and again shot at her. As I said, you can do everything to help the community talk and trust the PD but if criminals aren't being charged for their crimes you can't do anything
ReplyDeleteChief Forté: That's a subject where people have very strong feelings about what they perceive to be the end game of diversity. But the fact is that a more diverse Police Department that looks more like the community it serves helps facilitate more community involvement and trust. From my own personal experience I can tell you that people have given me tips about local murders and crimes and I'm sure that part of that is because I'm a high ranking Black officer. It's something that some of us don't like to talk about but there is a level of trust there given the sometimes divisive history of Kansas City."
ReplyDeleteSo he's basically saying that black people will be hired over white people because people in the hood will only talk to black officers.
That's exactly what he's saying. I say it is simply afro-centered appeasement. That line about not lowering standards to hire minority candidates is pure bullshit.
ReplyDelete335, the whole Justice Dept Hiring Practices Investigation from last year was all about lowering the standards. In fact, the entrance written exam for the PD was lowered from a 12 grade level to what some have said is an 8th or 9th grade level. Sample tests were apparently given to an academy class already hired last year to try them out. They took the results of the easiest sample test and adopted it so the dept would use it and it would fit the Justice Dept. testing standards. Since then the department has hired several poorly educated and unqualified individuals to which some have said were simply hired to increase minority presence. The PD has gone from hiring people that wanted to do the job for the best reasons, were highly qualified, and in great physical shape. If you ever see an academy class now, it is mostly overweight, poorly educated individuals, who in some cases are just doing it "for a job". That kind of thinking, standards, and hiring practices are not only hurting the department but also the city.
ReplyDeleteDiversity in the police department, maybe so, but why hasn't there been a Hispanic captain since Ortega. Diversity among top brass is a key part to an integrated police force.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised that TKC didn't ask Forte why the department isn't providing extra patrols and resources to the westside due to all of the aggravated assaults and recent gang activity. Oh wait....Forte already addressed that at a recent west side community meeting stating, "There haven't been any homicides over here yet".
ReplyDeleteMy family and I used to have dinner once a week on Southwest Blvd. After a nice night last month sitting on a patio of a restaurant and ducking as two people started shooting at a car parked out front, we won't go back until the PD does something about it. I can only imagine how the businesses down there are dealing with it.
ReplyDeleteForte should act as an agent of change by promoting the professionalism of his department to the black community and encouraging them to look past the black, white or brown skin and see all his officers for the color of their uniforms- blue.
ReplyDeleteByron, why don't you get your ass to Kansas City and ask the chief some questions.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more 447
ReplyDeleteSlanderella, watching you operate in public is like watching a lost kitten.
ReplyDeleteWhy'd you turn tail and run when we started asking you about the slander suit?
The chief is certainly on the right track. What's needed is a gradual building of trust, relationships, understanding, and cooperation, not "programs", and that takes some time to build. But as you make progress you'll see real results that depend on attitudes and behavior, not ideas from put-of-town and funding.
ReplyDeleteSo the question becomes, how long will this approach get command attention and be made sustainable by the chief and command staff?
Don't look for short-term results.
Can't wait for the fire chief to try something like this!!!
ReplyDeleteActually all the council members should do this as well, its a great opportunity to look the people who elected them in the eyes and lie straight to their faces in person!!
PS- Hose draggers and fire dept groupies, we all know the fire chief is appointed, not elected so save your cock breath on your reply to point that out on this post!!
A couple of months ago, I had occasion to listen to the new Chief on NPR, here locally and he was forthcoming, honest (It seemed to me.) and made a very positive impression on me, at least, in my car.
ReplyDeleteCrime the murder rate, and the subsequent solutions, as seen by the Chief and his staff, ie "Hotspots" are as good an effort as any I guess.
What the hell is the guy gonna do? Tell the truth? He can't.
He and the folks in charge of Kansas City's Black Roman Mob, can't afford to insult the voters or dash the hopes of idiot white boys who think that this problem will be solved on paper, then in the streets, by some Polyanna-feel-good-community-get-out-of-the-cars-and-talk-to-the-people innitiatives.
Here are FBI stats on African American Crime----
The FBI’s crime figures for 2007: “Blacks committed 433,934 violent crimes against whites, eight times as many as the 55,685 that whites committed against blacks. Interracial rape is almost exclusively black-on-white, with 14,000 assaults on white women by African-American males in 2007. Not one case of white sexual assault on a black female was found in the FBI study.” (Page 243)
I could go on, but although no one in the Main Stream media will address this startling disparity, or, if they do, they deflect blame and missrepresent responsibility, it is self evident and a statistical fact.
The African American subculture is violent, violent, violent due to glorification of that same violence in the media, a lack of ANY semblence of parenting and a culture of complaint the pre fixes the excuse for abberant, horrific behaviour and lays it at the feet of society.
Fuckin bullshit.
We can "Hot Spot" our asses off for the next 200 years, the situation here, as in Detroit and any other Black Run city, will get worse.
Period, end of report.
Very well put chuck
ReplyDeleteHere is some irony for ya, Bobby Rush, ex Black Panther and now, of course a member of the House of Representatives, donned a "Hoodie" in the House Chamber to show solidarity with Trayvon.
ReplyDeletehttp://articles.cnn.com/2012-03-28/politics/politics_congressman-hoodie_1_hoodie-house-floor-rush?_s=PM:POLITICS
While the dumbass is doing this, this took place in his district.
"13 shot, 2 dead in Chicago in six hours Thursday night
The worst shooting occurred around 6 p.m. Thursday when two men in hooded sweatshirts opened fire inside a convenience store in the 1400 block of West 79th Street in the Gresham neighborhood, police said.
One man was killed and five others were wounded. The victims ranged in age from 16 to 24. The gunmen fled in an SUV and police continued searching for them this morning."
And YES, They were wearing "Hoodies"!! What a fuckin hoot.
I am sure they probably looked like the President's son too.
We don't need to wake Sherlock to figure out why the Media and the "Civil Rights Money Machine" is red lining to hang a Half Latino, Half White guy in Florida.
ReplyDeleteIt has been a hell of a long time since the media could hang somethin on a white boy, even if he is only half white. James Byrd was 15 years ago, and the well was goin dry baby!!
The literally thousands of Black on White crimes (Thats just the ones reported.) that don't qulify for a "Hate Crime" Status are just so much background noise to the Big Print Media, Major affiliates and Movers and Shakers in The District of Corruption.
Last week, Tony, God Bless him and his energy, went down to the Plaza and heard the Mayor speak at a rally for Trayvon.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tonyskansascity.com/search?updated-max=2012-03-27T00:05:00-05:00&max-results=35&start=70&by-date=false
Tony mentioned that the PA didn't work and no one could hear the Mayor speak.
I kinda like thinking, that no one could hear the Mayor over the sonic wail, the screams and death rattles of all the white victims that have been ignored over the last 3 decades as we as a nation and here in this city, refuse to face the truth about violent crime and the people who actually commit those crimes.
And, indeed, continue to pour money, legislative efforts and the blood of white folks down a rat hole while turning our heads from the truth.
Why no questions about the morale of the police department. One of the most important functions of any manager is to manage employee relations. KCPD has had great difficulty with retention recently. What is the chief doing about it?
ReplyDeleteOk, this just broke in the last hour.
ReplyDeletehttp://miami.cbslocal.com/2012/03/31/2-dead-12-hurt-in-mass-shooting-in-north-miami/
African American Culture is VIOLENT!
14 shot, 2 dead at a funeral.
This must be societies fault.
Hey, I do kinda like this--
ReplyDeletehttp://charlotte.cbslocal.com/2012/03/30/strip-club-cancels-party-in-honor-of-trayvon-martin/
In honor of Treyvon, a Strip Club. Ya can't make this shit up.
"According to the event flier, which has gone viral, the party at Bentley’s Lingerie Lounge — organized by outside promoters — was scheduled for this past Wednesday as part of their “We Like to Party Wednesdays” promotion.
The flier reads, “Justice: In Memory of Trayvon Martin,” just below an image of the dead teen. “Everyone free [before] 11 [p.m.] with an empty bag of Skittles.”
Is Alvin Brooks listening?
Candle Light Vigils? No way, we are headed on down to Bazookas!!!
Jesus.
You people always assume diversity has something to do with race. It doesn't.
ReplyDeleteWhat diversity means is diluting the intelligent, ethical, hard working, self motivated people on the department with ignorant, poorly educated, amoral, people who are doing it because they heard you get really good discounts all over town when in uniform.
It is not a race issue. Because all races lose when the department turns into a bunch of "have nots" with a badge.
Forte's lack respect for the Department is evident in his wearing of a uniform while sporting facial hair, wearing of a long sleeve uniform shirt with no tie, etc. etc. You can look until you're blue in the face and you will not find photos of past KCPD Chiefs appearing in public, looking like a hobo in a stolen uniform shirt.
ReplyDeleteJust LOOK at this fucker and tell me that standards haven't been lowered. Bullshit. Standards have been lowered from the top DOWN.
ive talked to a number of police officers i know and many were black who dont trust the chief and his gang of 8. ive been told that if you are black you cant do no wrong. and the fact that they demoted a detective who has several years in that division and promoted a black officer with no experience tell me theres no racism on the dept, my the way the officer who was demoted was white. and i have asked the chief about the gang of 8 and it went right over his head
ReplyDeleteForte should be in the black community touting the professionalism and colorblind nature of the officers in his department instead of dummying-down the entrance exam and hiring guys who can't even read at the high school level.
ReplyDeleteOnce you start making the entrance exam easier, you're going to have to do the same for each of the promotional exams as well and for the same reason.
Bad, bad, bad precident and shitty public policy, Chief.
Dear Mr. Tony: Great interview!! I certainly wish the new Chief all the best--he needs it with the massive surge in violence in the city in the past year. In the twelve months before Sly James became mayor we had 98 homicides--in the 11 months he has been mayor we have had 116. I am hopeful that the Chief's efforts at building relations with the minority communities work because that is precisely where all of the violence surge of the past year has been--of those 98 homicides in the year before James became mayor 73 were black and 25 were other races; of the 116 homicides in the eleven months James has been mayor 90 have been black and 26 have been other races. Take care!! Sincerely and Respectfully, Ernest Evans
ReplyDeleteFunny, I though people were trying to END racism. But hiring people based on skin color just adds fuel to the fire.
ReplyDeleteI don't see how anyone can pin the murder rate on the Mayor. You have a generation of entitlement a la Gwen Grant, Alvin Brooks, Terry Riley, Sharon Sanders-Brooks, a generation of garbage in education a la Clinton Adams, Marilyn Simmons, Ajamu Webster, and hosts of others, and criminals a la Charles Hazley, Bishop Tindall, Sandra McFadden-Weaver,, et all, and you have a black community that respects nothing. They don't respect teachers, their parents or the law. The only thing they seem to respect is a gun.
ReplyDeleteUntil that community starts valuing life, they will continue to snuff it out without a thought. You can't abandon schooling for 25 years, foster an era of entitlement, and hold crooks (Tindall) in high esteem and even let them hold office and have a healthy community.
What he said (02:54)!!!
DeleteBottom line why hot spots are not working......no one on the PD is working. It might be a brilliant idea, but none of us give a shit anymore. Until a black Sgt, and a black Commander are held accountable for the Armed Robbery, Assault on a STATE TROOPER, or forcing white Detectives out of thier Homicide unit.....you want me to work for that? It's hard to respect a Chief regardless of race who allows this type of hypocracy to exist on the department. Not only does he allow it to exist, he promotes one of these guys to Deputy Chief, and the other is still working as a Sgt. I'm sure his promotion to Captain is coming. This is what happens when you lower the standards. I refuse to work more than I am told to do. I'll sit in a hot spot all day long so my stats count, but don't expect me to prevent anything. Not until the Chief does something about the hipocracy.
ReplyDelete