Here's the aftermath of today's community conversation amongst people who spent this glorious day inside gabbing rather than enjoying the sunshine.
What we notice according to our blog community . . .
Reporting downplays urban neighborhood requests for more cops and repeats the political activist narrative about reform & local control.
Here's a relevant passage . . .
Community members gathered Saturday morning at Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Center to discuss what they want in the next chief of police. The majority-Black crowd said they want a chief that looks like them, lives in or spends time engaging with their neighborhoods and someone who isn’t afraid to call out or own up to wrongdoings in the police department.
Steve Young is an organizer of Friday Night Protest, a group that gathers every Friday outside the Kansas City Police Department headquarters to protest police brutality and call for justice for victims. Young was spokesperson for his table at the listening session. He said he and the people at his table hope to see a leader recruited from outside the department.
“Right now, KCPD has so many issues. I would not trust somebody who came up in the ranks who’s gonna be my chief of police. I can’t trust it,” said Young, eliciting applause from the crowd.
Several community members said they hoped the next chief of police would push for local control of the department. Currently, KCPD is overseen by a five-member Board of Police Commissioners, composed of Mayor Quinton Lucas and four other members appointed by the Missouri governor. Many attendees said they want more say in what happens with the police department.
Even better or worse . . .
There's more opportunity to speak out on a decision that doesn't really have much voter input on this point in the process and has otherwise been dominated by activists.
Take a look . . .
There are three more listening sessions this month sponsored in partnership with the Urban League & Greater KC Chamber Of Commerce:
- Wednesday, April 6: 6 p.m.– 8 p.m., Mattie Rhodes Cultural Center, 1701 Jarboe St. (Bilingual)
- Thursday, April 7: 6 p.m.– 8 p.mm, Northeast Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, 2657 Independence Ave. (Multilingual)
- Thursday, April 14: 3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m., KC Chamber Board Room, 1st floor of Union Station
Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
Kansas City residents say next chief should have 'no problem' shaking up KCPD
Residents of Kansas City's east side say the next leader of the Kansas City Police Department should prioritize spending time in their communities. Community members gathered Saturday morning at Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Center to discuss what they want in the next chief of police.
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