Kansas City Star Demands Reform And Outsider Top Cop For Meth Town Police

The newspaper attempts to flex in Independence, MO by way of social justice screed.

While it seems like fewer people are paying attention to dictates from the editorial board . . . They persist with half-baked arguments nevertheless . . .

Reform is desperately needed. A Kansas City man filed a lawsuit claiming that he was tased, choked and beaten by an Independence police officer while walking down the street. “You’re being detained. You’re going to be tased.” Independence Police Officer Tanner Philip screamed at Justin Layton of Kansas City, after he was accused of jaywalking, or “walking while Black,” as Layton calls it, in Independence on Valentine’s Day two years ago.

In a city where police solved just 34 of 64 homicides between 2013-20, according to available data, surely the officer had more important work to do. Layton claimed the incident, partly captured on police dashcam video, involved Philip and three other officers with the Independence Police Department, who were white. Independence has 185 sworn officers, according to a spokesman for the department. Only one is African American . . .

The police department is under investigation after an officer became the city’s highest paid employee last year for overtime work on a construction project. The fallout from that has resulted in multiple changes in department leadership. Police Capt. Adam Dustman is interim acting chief, having replaced acting Chief Ken Jarnagin, who was placed on leave in wake of the overtime inquiry . . .

The culture of the Independence Police Department needs to change drastically, and only a new chief from outside the organization can do that.


Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

'Walking while Black': Video shows why new Independence police chief must be outsider

OPINION AND COMMENTARY The Independence Police Department must look outside its ranks to permanently fill the police chief position. Only new leadership can make the changes necessary for a department in need of a shift in culture. Public input during the search for a new chief is vitally important.

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