Kansas City Anti-Police Leadership To Blame For Murder Spike?!?

For the first time in modern history Kansas City's leadership is engaged in an outright political war with police. During this fight over tactics, funding and politics, the homicide count has skyrocketed to terrifying new heights with no promise of solutions, only more rhetorical gambits.

Accordingly, TKC asks this question of a mid-sized Midwestern city . . . 

HAVE 'PROGRESSIVE' POLITICAL ATTACKS AGAINST POLICE INCITED MURDEROUS CHAOS ON KANSAS CITY STREETS?!?!

More than questions of funding or gun laws, we want to consider the impact of anti-police leadership on the community.

An insight from a trusted insider . . .

"The police are getting bullied by our political leaders. It's obvious that they aren't getting the support they need. They've been second guessed, and worse, attacked by KC's leadership. There is a direct correlation between that kind of bullying and the rise in murders we've seen."

Another facet of the argument . . .

"When you prosecute police for doing their job, attack them at every turn and try to strip away their funding. THIS is what you've get. We should be cooperating, solving these murders and preventing more. But even now what you've seen is more of the same . . . The prosecutor, the mayor and the newspaper are attacking cops, the chief and all of law enforcement. In that environment, this kind of violence isn't hard to explain." 

Still, policy is part of the discussion . . . 

"This is what 'local control' of police looks like . . . When politicians and the newspaper make policing decisions and set the agenda, the rise in murders is the outcome. We've seen this happen in other cities and that's what they want here . . . I just hope people are smart enough to see that all of this has consequences on our lives, not just the police budget and a city hall takeover . . . In the end it's about elected leaders who are willing to bully police officers and anyone who stands in their way in order to hold power and gain control."

For those who have any doubts about the premise of this argument and our TKC question, we have a quick review in order to help readers craft an informed opinion & answer . . .

- Jackson County Prosecutor "Mean" Jean Peters Baker has been fighting with police for years and recently penned a screed arguing that law enforcement has no accountability. Her indictments of officers have garnered nationwide attention and sparked a groundbreaking decision against a KCPD detective for involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action. 

- Previously, we've noted that Mayor Q has been defined by his anti-police agenda. He was recently the prime mover in a FAILED attempt to oust the KCPD chief of police and promises another budget battle over police funding after a recent effort was struck down by a Jackson County judge.

- Under the leadership of Mike Fanin, The Kansas City Star has been a constant critic of KCPD. In one editorial after the next they've condemned KCPD and their coverage has been so biased that they mistakenly reported the Chief was "forced out" and endured a correction from the police board on their lies misreporting.

In conclusion . . . 

Accuracy demands that we note a fact of life: Only those who pull the trigger are responsible for the murders they commit. 

However . . . 

Deadly violence doesn't exist in a vacuum. The leadership of elected officials and municipal institutions does, in fact, have an impact on the lives of our community. 

And so . . . 

Mean Jean, Mayor Q and The Kansas City deserve questions and criticism for their constant attacks political against police.

Moreover . . . 

Locals should consider the implications of anti-police leadership which has, clearly, impacted the current, deadly crisis on local streets. 

You decide . . .

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