Hiring freeze depletes police staffing

Within the month of April, our Police Athletic League had 1,019 contacts with youth. In the current school year, three Youth Programs Section officers and one sergeant worked with more than 2,000 students teaching D.A.R.E. and G.R.E.A.T. curriculum both virtually and in person in 18 schools.* They spend 15 to 18 hours a week in the classroom. They often eat lunch with students and join them at recess. Before the pandemic, they reached 4,000 children in 30 schools. The relationships our Youth Services Unit builds through these interactions are priceless. They build bridges in the community and help kids make smart choices.

Unfortunately, however, those programs would be among the first to get cut if our current hiring freeze continues. We would have to eliminate elements whose officers primarily are tasked with community policing and relationship building. The officers assigned to those units would be reassigned to answer 911 calls, which is our core duty.

So far in 2021, we are losing 8.5 officers per month to attrition. Last year, the average was 7.58 per month. The number has risen steadily since 2011, when the average officer loss was just 3.25 per month. This usually is not much of an issue because we are able to fill those positions with new recruits coming out of the Academy. We have not had an Academy class since February 2020 due to funding, however, so we have continued to fall farther and farther behind on staffing. We are down 116 officers and do not have the budget to replace them.

If KCPD continues to lose officers at the 8.5 per month rate, we will have 1,151 by April 2022. That is equivalent to the amount of officers KCPD had in 1993, at which time Kansas City, Mo., had a population of about 435,000. Our city now approaches 500,000 in population. The 1,151 number assumes the 8.5 per month loss rate does not increase. Given the increases over the last 10 years, however, it seems that number will continue to climb. 

It takes 10 months of training both in our Academy and in the field until a new officer can operate independently. Hypothetically, if we were able to start a new Academy class on June 1, those recruits would not be in the work force until April 2022. Even then, they would still be on probationary status for an additional six months.

In short, our current hiring freeze is setting the Department back in adequate staffing for years to come.

Practically, what does this look like? I already mentioned the reduction of community outreach programs. Increased response times also will be inevitable. Earlier this week we had to send officers from Shoal Creek Patrol Division north of the Missouri River all the way down to the southern end of the city in South Patrol to answer a 911 call because no one else was available. Residents already are waiting for some time for police to respond to non-injury crashes, burglaries, property damage and other incidents not involving threats to life or safety, and they deserve more prompt service.

Those increased response times will impact other emergency services, as well. Paramedics, EMTs and firefighters rely on police to ensure their safety before entering many types of situations. So far just this year, police have had to render the scene safe for the Kansas City Fire Department nearly 6,100 times. Many of those are medical emergencies in which seconds mean the difference between life or death. A delayed response from police in these situations will put lives on the line.

So far I’ve only discussed the shortage of police officers in the hiring freeze. Our professional staff are experiencing significant reductions, as well. We’re losing about seven non-sworn staff members per month. How does this impact the public? One example is our Crime Laboratory. We are down 11 people there currently, which is 15% of the staff. This will lead to case backlogs and significant delays in solving crimes using science and technology.

The people who live, work and play in Kansas City expect and deserve quality police service. A safe city drives economic development, which improves everyone’s quality of life. Given our current budgetary restrictions, we are increasingly unable to provide the kind of service our community has come to expect.

We are asking for the community’s support to get the funding to end our hiring freeze. The City received $97.5 million from the American Rescue Plan Act. We ask that you ask your city council members to allocate some of that to the Police Department so that we can provide the timely response, criminal investigations and much-needed community engagement you deserve.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org. 

 

 * Jackson County COMBAT provides a portion of the funding for our D.A.R.E. and G.R.E.A.T. programs.

 

Proposed budget cuts would mean loss of 400 police personnel

A reporter asked me at a press conference on Monday how helpful the 200 additional federal agents were who came to Kansas City to help us amid an unprecedented spike in violent crime for Operation LeGend. After I said how much those additional resources helped, the reporter asked what a 400-person reduction to our department would mean to solving and preventing crime. Quite frankly, it would be devastating.

We are already doing our part to help in these tough economic times. We’ve cut $5.6 million from the current fiscal year’s budget this summer. Like other city departments, we are being asked by the City Finance Department to provide scenarios for what an 11% budget cut would look like for fiscal year 2021-22. That’s nearly $26 million for us. To make that number, we would have to reduce about 400 employees, and the remainder would have to take two-week furloughs. Below I’ll outline some of the proposals we’re considering to meet those numbers, and then I’ll share what that means to the average person who lives, works or visits Kansas City:

PROPOSALS TO MEET AN 11% REDUCTION

• Close North Patrol Division (which serves about 67,600 people across 84.8 square miles) and consolidate it with Shoal Creek Patrol Division; and close Central Patrol Division (which serves about 62,300 people across 17 square miles) and consolidate it with East Patrol. That removes one-third of police stations in Kansas City.
• Eliminate the Helicopter Unit, a Traffic Enforcement Squad, Community Interaction Officers, School Resource Officers, Police Athletic League, CAN Centers, social workers and a majority of Impact Squad officers, who proactively address crime. All of those officers would be reassigned to patrol and answer 911 calls.
• Reduce property crimes detectives.
• A hiring freeze and no new Academy classes in 2020 or 2021. We would lose more than 120 police officers through this.
• A reduction of 13 people at the Kansas City Regional Crime Lab.
• Eliminate numerous support staff positions in areas ranging from information technology to fleet operations.

WHAT THIS MEANS

· When you call 911

- When you call 911, you will likely be put on hold.
- Response times will be longer. Response times will be greatest north of the River and in the Southland. You can see on this graph what our current response times are by division. At minimum, increase that by 11%.

- Service may be diminished.
- If you do report a crime, there will be fewer detectives to investigate your crime.
- We will have to prioritize response to violent crime. It’s highly likely we will have to stop responding to non-injury crashes, car and home break-ins and other property crimes. Victims would be asked to report those to police stations, themselves. Only the property crimes with greatest losses would be investigated.
- Crime Lab backlogs will slow the ability to solve cases.

· In the community

- All of our positions that focus on community policing would have to be eliminated to focus on our core mission of answering 911 calls and investigating violent crime.
- The people who need police service the most are our most economically disadvantaged. They’re who call 911 the most and have the least resources. They are who our social workers assist. They are who will be hurt most by cuts to the police department.
- All youth programming would be eliminated. This carries greater costs. The Police Athletic League, for example, is funded by a 501c3 that pumps about $500,000 a year into the urban core. That community investment would go away.
- Reduced traffic and parking enforcement.
- No new hires means no additional way to have staff who reflect the community. The Academy class we already cut this year was set to be our most diverse ever.
- Reduced Internal Affairs detectives could impact officer accountability.
- Our community already has stepped up over the years to provide funding for equipment needed to solve and prevent crime and enhance officer accountability, such as license-plate readers, body-worn cameras and ballistic helmets. What does this mean for all of their contributions?

LONG-TERM IMPACTS

• The last time we took a major budget hit was in the recession of 2008. It took us 10 years to come close to regaining the staffing we had then. It takes about a year and a half to recruit, process, hire and train a new police officer on our department. We had more than 1,400 officer positions prior to 2008. We’re now at a little more than 1,300.
• These reductions would put us at less than 1,000 officers. The last time that occurred was in 1970. After the passage of the 1% Earnings Tax in 1971, we hired 200 more officers. Does Kansas City really want to go backward 50 years?
• We have had an unprecedented increase in violent crime in 2020. One can only imagine how that will change with reduced law enforcement presence and reduced investigations.

WHAT WE’VE ALREADY DONE AND RESIDENT PRIORITIES

We have implemented numerous reforms the public has requested. Among these are implementing body-worn cameras, having an outside agency investigate officer-involved shootings, changing our policy to explicitly include the duty for officers to intervene in an excessive-force situation and revising our tactics during protests.

We already cut $5.6 million from the current fiscal year’s budget. We eliminated 90 positions and canceled all Academy classes. In the reduced economy that has arisen from the COVID-19 pandemic, we realize sacrifices are needed.

Just like many families have had to do in the past six months, we’ve had to prioritize our budget. That is something the Kansas City government must do now. In the most recent Citizen Satisfaction Survey, residents placed police services as their No. 2 funding priority, just below street and sidewalk infrastructure.

If we do have to make a 400-person reduction, everyone who lives or works in Kansas City will still pay 100% of their taxes, but they won’t get the same police service they're used to. The residents and businesses of Kansas City have come to expect a certain level of police service that they will no longer receive. That, in turn, can have an economic impact on people wanting to do business and live in Kansas City, which would perpetuate budget problems.


These cuts are not a foregone conclusion. City leaders have a choice to make between now and when the new fiscal year starts May 1, 2021, and they will base much of that on what they hear from residents. We look forward to residents participating in these discussions.

KCPD's unique governance model serves Kansas City well

The people of Kansas City have a police department they should be very proud of, and many are. We’ve innovated in the areas of social workers and community outreach through additional Community Interaction Officers. We professionally handle dozens of large events every year, from the airshow to the Plaza Lighting Ceremony. We are the largest law enforcement agency in six states and are often looked to as leaders in the Midwest and nationally. This police department strives to make Kansas City a great place for everyone to live, work and play. A well-functioning police department doesn’t happen by accident. It’s because of a group of dedicated men and women who have served on the Kansas City Missouri Board of Police Commissioners through the years. They have invested the time and effort to make sure this city has a police department that is a national model.

Many residents may not even recognize this. What they will recognize is the work ethic, professionalism and dedication that the men and women of the KCPD give every day under the oversight of the Board of Police Commissioners.

As it does every few years, the question of “local control” of the Kansas City Missouri Police Department has resurfaced. The KCPD is governed by a Board of Police Commissioners appointed by the Governor of Missouri and confirmed by the State Senate. They all are residents of Kansas City, Mo. The elected mayor of Kansas City also has a seat on the Board. That’s why the issue at hand isn’t really “local control” but local political control. The Kansas City Council funds the Department, according to state statute. We have operated this way since 1939, when rampant corruption caused the state to take control of the department.

Many say that model is outdated. We believe, however, that it has served the people of Kansas City well for 80 years and will continue to do so. When I attend national conferences, I am pleased to hear about the reputation of the KCPD among other agencies. We are known nationwide as leaders in everything from data-led policing to de-escalation training to social services. We have not experienced the strained community relationships or large-scale scandals other major-city departments have. That’s not by accident. Maybe it’s because of the members of our community who sit on our oversight board.

Under our current governance model, we are agile and adaptable. We can focus resources where they are needed most without being slowed by politics or bureaucracy. We can quickly respond to the needs of neighborhoods and businesses because we aren’t beholden to any particular elected official.

That is not to say that we are not responsive to City Hall. We have a commander assigned full-time to work with city staff and council members. We work together closely to address crime issues in our city. A great example of this is the money the City allocated to boost the reward money for homicide tips leading to an arrest to $25,000 through the Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline.

State statute mandates that the City allocate at least 20% of its general fund to the police department. For many years, the City has provided more than 20%, and for that, we and the residents of Kansas City should be grateful. We also have consolidated many functions with city staff, most recently information technology. Our great working relationship results in a prudent use of taxpayer dollars for public safety.

The most common argument I hear against our governance model is that we are the only one in the nation who has it. Being unique is not a negative thing. Perhaps we should be seen as the leader after which other agencies should model themselves. Look out a little farther, however, and you’ll see that we’re not that different. The majority of municipal Canadian police departments are overseen by civilian boards of police commissioners, just like KCPD’s. Police are governed this way in most major Canadian cities, including Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton and Ottawa.

I also hear that our unique system of governance must somehow be the source of the stubborn homicide rate in our city. The other nine cities on the list of the nation’s 10 Most Dangerous Cities have local political control, and that has done nothing to abate the violence in their communities. Many of those cities also have experienced unrest that we haven’t.

We have a Board of Police Commissioners who can focus entirely upon governing the police department. City Councilmembers have many other important functions to oversee, from the airport to street maintenance to sewers. We are fortunate to have an oversight board in which our department is their sole priority. They can review policies and procedures at length. They also are open to public input and have requested it on many occasions, like during the last selection process for Chief of Police. Every month, the Board meets to publicly go over the department’s finances, policies and other items, as well as take comments from the community. You would be hard-pressed to find another City department that gets this level of public scrutiny on a monthly basis.

The Kansas City Missouri Police Department’s form of governance is unique, but that should be seen as a strength, not a weakness. It has allowed our department to function professionally, transparently and respectably for 80 years and hopefully for many more to come. For these reasons and many more, the people of Kansas City should champion the department’s current governance model.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org. 

City and KCPD work toward master plan for downtown parking

The good news: Downtown Kansas City is growing and thriving. More and more people are choosing to live, work and play in our city center. This has led to an influx of residential units, businesses, entertainment options and more. But as more people come downtown, most bring their cars with them. More people equal more cars, and we’re working with City government to accommodate increased parking needs.

We’ve heard from several downtown business owners recently that their customers can’t park at their businesses because downtown residents have overstayed their time in parking spots. We’ve heard from downtown residents that people attending special events have taken up their parking spots. And we’ve heard from people attending downtown events that they can’t find a place to park. We’re working with the City on a master plan for downtown parking. One of the recommendations is the hiring of 10 additional KCPD parking control officers to increase enforcement.

At present, we have just four parking control officers and two supervisors for the entire city. They have worked their tails off to keep up with complaints, special events and more, but there just weren’t enough of them to keep up with growing downtown parking needs. These 10 new parking control officers will concentrate on downtown, only. We still are hiring for these positions, and we encourage Kansas City residents interested in serving their city in this capacity to apply.

To keep parking spaces turning over for everyone who needs them downtown, we will be stepping enforcement up considerably with the help of the new parking control officers. We’re not going to start handing out thousands more parking tickets overnight, though. We’ll begin a period of public education this month, which will include issuing a lot of warnings in lieu of tickets. This will allow people to develop a downtown parking plan that will be fair to everyone and allow businesses to be successful.

One notable change: effective March 1, off-street public parking lots in the City Market turned into paid lots at a rate of $1 an hour. The City Market Square lot will continue to be free and available for short-term parking, but the time limit has been reduced from three hours to two hours.

The renewed vibrancy of our downtown is exciting, but it comes with some growing pains. We look forward to working with everyone to make parking accessible to as many people as possible in the heart of KC.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org

Update on implementation of body-worn cameras

Last fall, the KCPD engaged in a 12-week pilot project to determine the cost and infrastructure required to implement body-worn cameras on all patrol officers. We presented the results of that project to the Board of Police Commissioners this week. I also wanted to share those results with our community.

The pilot project was a very scaled one. The cameras were used only by a few squads at a time. Just those few officers produced an average of 147 videos totaling 82,000 megabytes (MB) a day. The whole project produced 9,300 videos and 5.1 million MB total. Scaling that upward department-wide, we determined we would need 2.4 petabytes of storage (that’s more than 1 billion megabytes). Under the industry-standard 5-year contract, that kind of storage would cost about $3.2 million. For access and security purposes, we determined an on-site server for storage would be best, as opposed to a cloud-based solution.

Those are just the storage costs. Initial equipment costs would be about $2.1 million, with a $56,000 annual maintenance cost. To handle the increased requests for the video from our own officers and investigators, prosecutors and other attorneys, media and the public, we would require up to 25 additional positions at the cost of about $2.2 million annually in salary and benefits. Two new network administrator positions also would be needed at about $173,000.

Finally, there is the infrastructure piece. In order to get the videos from the patrol stations where they will be downloaded to the central server, we need a robust fiber optic connection. We can have all the data in the world, but if there’s no highway for it to travel on, it does no one any good. Our current bandwidth is just enough to handle the videos and storage from our in-car camera systems. It could not handle the additional data. Fortunately, we are working with the City’s Information Technology Department on implementing these fiber solutions.

Those are the results of the pilot project. As you can see, body-worn cameras will be a costly undertaking, and we must work with both elected City officials and staff to determine funding priorities, not just for the police department but for all city services.

Philosophically, we support body-worn cameras and want to implement them as soon as is feasible. But in our research, we have found too many agencies that – in an effort to launch body-worn cameras quickly – created a program that was unsustainable. Some are even being forced to roll back their programs. We have taken a very measured approach because we want to be good stewards who will keep the promises we make. If we say we’re going to implement body-worn cameras, we will, and we will have the storage, infrastructure and personnel to properly support and maintain them.

We also met with many community members to draft a policy for body-worn cameras and the footage they capture. We listened to their concerns and combined them with lessons other law enforcement agencies have learned in their use of body-worn cameras to create a policy that we believe fosters transparency and accountability while protecting community members’ privacy.

We have long been supportive of video to ensure accountability, to identify any issues that could require training and to provide indisputable accounts of incidents. Our in-car camera systems (“dash cams”) have been in use since 1999 and are currently installed on all 337 of our patrol cars. Any body-worn camera systems must complement the in-car cameras we have in place. We will continue to keep the public updated on the progress of the body-worn camera implementation at KCPD.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org. 

Police deserve same raises as employees of other City services

We are always working to make the Kansas City Missouri Police Department a first-class law enforcement agency with members of the highest quality to serve the people of our community. I want to ensure our department recruits and retains public servants of the highest caliber who reflect the make-up of our city.

Numerous things have made that more difficult in recent years: the increased scrutiny police are under nationwide, the increased danger they are facing (officers killed by firearms so far this year are up 47 percent compared to this date last year), and issues of morale and pay.

As I wrote here earlier this year, we have eliminated more than 100 law enforcement and 100 non-sworn positions to stay within our budget. Despite these efforts to ensure police are not taking an outsize portion of the City budget, it appears the police department is slated to receive the lowest raises of any City services over the next three years.

In the City’s Five-Year Citywide Business Plan, which Council Members are set to vote on Thursday, employees of all other City services are slated to receive raises ranging from 2.5 to 4.7 percent each of the next three years. During that time, KCPD members are only set to receive 2 percent raises each year. The members of our department deserve equal pay treatment with the employees of other City services. The Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners adopted a resolution stating the need for this parity in 2011.

The Olathe, Kansas, Police Department conducted a police compensation analysis in May of this year, comparing the salaries and benefits of area public safety departments. That showed KCPD officers had the highest starting salary in the metro area, but we fell to 10th place out of the 12 agencies compared for officers who had reached their top pay step.

In an urban environment with high workloads, significant violent crime and intensive scrutiny, it can be difficult enough to retain high-quality officers and non-sworn staff. A financial plan that does not value police employees as much as employees of other City services has the potential to negatively impact police morale and employee retention.

To continue to serve our city with the highest-quality employees, I support KCPD members receiving annual salary increases on par with those in City services.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org. 

Upcoming budget presents staffing shortfalls

The City Council approved a budget last Thursday, March 24, that will have an impact on the Kansas City Missouri Police Department.

Before I explain what that impact will be, I first wanted to share the cost-saving measures our department has undertaken in the last two years, during which we have faced significant funding challenges:

• More than 90 percent of our budget goes to personnel costs, so to balance our budget, we have eliminated 100 civilian and 60 law enforcement positions through attrition.
• Another cost-cutting move was a buy-out last year, which saved the department $1 million.
• No one at KCPD received a raise last year.
• We were slated to purchase a little fewer than 80 vehicles last year to replace the ones with very high mileage and maintenance issues. We purchased fewer than 40 vehicles instead. We still had to pay to equip them all with everything from camera systems to radios, which can be almost as much as the cost of the vehicles, themselves.
• We found a one-time funding source to pay for increased health insurance and ammunition costs.
• Our department supports the radio system for the entire city, so we take on this cost for departments like Public Works, Fire and just about anyone who has a radio. We also answer all incoming 911 calls. We forward them to Fire Department dispatchers if the call is medical in nature or a fire. Therefore, our department is the only one that pays for 911 call-takers. They answered nearly 1.2 million calls in 2015.

We have cut a great deal of costs. And while we are doing our best to be as effective as possible with what we have, our data shows this is starting to have a negative impact. The time it takes for us to respond to emergencies has gradually increased since May 2015, by up to a minute in some places. We presently have 89 vacancies in our Patrol Bureau.

These are the officers who respond when you call 911. Here are the current law enforcement staffing levels, as compared to how many officers should be assigned, by patrol division:

Division	Currently Assigned	Positions	Vacancies
Central Patrol	161	186	25
Metro Patrol	150	164	14
East Patrol	155	172	17
South Patrol	96	107	11
Shoal Creek Patrol	86	94	8
North Patrol	87	101	14
TOTAL	735	824	89

We have left these positions open to stay within our budget. We also have 100 civilian or non-sworn vacancies. This is critical, too, because we sometimes have to pull officers in to do their positions. Non-sworn staff members’ work also provides much of our departments’ backbone: officers couldn’t do their jobs without dispatchers, mechanics, detention officers, CSI technicians and so many more.

Unlike other city departments, we are required by state statute to have a zero balance at the end of each fiscal year. We cannot go over budget. (Mo. Statute 84.760) Nor do we use Public Safety Sales Tax funds to pay salaries. We have not put ongoing personnel costs on a tax that will sunset in a few years.

We gave a decision package to the City Council this year to hire 60 officers to fill some of the above vacancies. They chose not to do so. They did choose to fund a staffing study, which I had requested. But as I told the Council when I presented to them about our budget on March 3, the study inevitably will show we need more people. We won’t be able to hire them with our current allocation from the City, however.

The budget approved by the Council includes money to hire 48 new officers, but our average turnover is 58 officers per year. So with our current 89 vacancies, this will leave us with almost 100 vacancies by the end of the year. Vacancies will be achieved through attrition only. No lay-offs are planned.

To fund normal raises and health insurance increases at current staffing levels, our department needs $6 million more each year. However, we were $3 million short last year, so the next budget needed to go up by $9 million. With additional appropriations of just $5.2 million for fiscal year 2016-17, we essentially received a $3.8 million cut.

Raises are crucial to retaining quality, trained personnel. I’ve seen too many fantastic department members leave for other departments or careers for financial reasons. Our city loses their quality service, and our department loses all the money we invested in training them. It ends up costing much more than an annual cost of living increase.

I am supportive of the funds the City has made available in the FY 2016-17 budget to demolish and repair vacant properties. But that alone will not reduce, prevent and solve all crime. Police are part of that solution, along with engaged residents. Under the recently approved budget, however, the number of police available to assist will continue to dwindle.

We have achieved excellent results on tight budgets for years. We have been good stewards of the tax dollars entrusted to us. Because there are fewer of them, our officers are working harder than ever, and the risk to their safety is increased. The old adage that there is safety in numbers applies to law enforcement, too. Our community deserves a police department that can recruit and retain high-quality members. That makes residents and officers safer. Budget pressures, however, are making that harder and harder to do.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org. 

Survey shows increased citizen satisfaction with KCPD

The results of the Kansas City’s annual Citizen Satisfaction Survey were released last week, and I’m very proud of how our department did. Satisfaction with overall quality of police services increased by 3 percent from 2014, which was the greatest increase of any major city service this year.

An increase of 3 percent may not seem like much, but given the scrutiny law enforcement has been under during the past year, I think it’s very impressive. A series of officer-involved shootings and excessive force incidents began last August and led to great distrust and dissatisfaction with police around the country.

In Kansas City, I have asked the members of our department to instead focus on building trust and fostering relationships with the people we serve. We still have a long way to go, but we have made tremendous strides. At a time when other cities are seeing rioting and skyrocketing homicide rates born of reduced confidence in law enforcement, 3 percent more Kansas City residents report satisfaction with the quality of police services they receive. At 66.1 percent, it’s the greatest percentage of satisfaction since the City started asking the question in 2012.

There also were significant increases in satisfaction in three other police areas compared to last year:

· City’s overall efforts to prevent crime is up 6.2 percent

· Effectiveness of local police protection is up 4.6 percent

· How quickly police respond to emergencies is up 2.1 percent.

Again, I think this is tremendous given the overall feelings about law enforcement in the past year. It shows that our department members by and large are different from those who have made national headlines. The most prominent headlines KCPD members made this past year were for getting caught on camera interacting with urban-core youth, rescuing dogs and working with other members of the community to bring Kansas City’s homicide rate to its lowest level in 42 years.

We have much more work to do, however. There is still much distrust that must be overcome, and building relationships that do that is one of my highest priorities. I thank the members of this department who are breaking down barriers of mistrust every day, and I thank the other segments of the community who are doing the same.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org. 

Open carry ordinance is wise

Today, the City Council wisely approved an ordinance prohibiting the open carry of a firearm. My role as Chief of Police is to ensure that residents feel safe and are safe. Allowing people to carry firearms openly within the city not only will cause residents to feel uncomfortable, it also will increase calls for service for someone being armed. Police cannot respond to these calls casually, and this creates a dangerous situation for all.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org 

Cost cutting and consolidation measures

I take seriously our responsibility to be good stewards of tax-payer dollars. That’s why we are moving to consolidate audit services with the City’s Audit Department. Our Internal Audit Unit manager position was eliminated today, and the three officers assigned to that unit will be moved to other places on the department. This unit has done an admirable job through the years of raising accountability and improving our department’s efficiency. We are facing a $5.5 million deficit in this current fiscal year. The vast majority of our costs are for pay and benefits, so there are limited opportunities for cost cutting.

Consolidating audit services was an obvious choice. The City Auditor’s Office has worked with us on many occasions, providing an independent review and oversight of our operations. I trust they will be able to continue to do so. 

Additionally, I eliminated a director position over our Victim Support Division. While the Division’s work is very important, it’s a rather small group, and a director-level position was not necessary to oversee it. A sergeant will now take the helm there. And as I wrote earlier, we’re closer than ever before to consolidating detention operations with the City and Jackson County.

I’ve also ordered a review of an efficiency study that was done prior to my tenure as chief. I want to ensure we have taken all the steps possible to run the most streamlined operation we can.

Finally, we have put a hiring freeze on all non-sworn positions.

We are not stagnant. We are constantly looking for opportunities to cut costs, be that in the forms of consolidating, outsourcing or eliminating. But we must do so prudently. Wantonly eliminating critical resources would come at the expense of the city’s safety. I pledge to do the most we can with the funds we have.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.  

Department's current form of governance is best

We already are under local control, we’re shielded from political corruption, we use taxpayer dollars in the most efficient way possible, and we are responsive to the community.

I have been Chief of the Kansas City Missouri Police Department since October 2011. I worked here for 26 years before that in a variety of positions and have lived in this city my whole life. Like anyone, I brought my experiences and opinions into each new assignment I’ve had on the police department. However, I always made it a point to keep my mind open in each position and learn as much as I could. I took that same attitude with me into the role of Chief. I have learned a great deal and appreciate all who have taught me.

  

I’ve tried to keep an open mind on one topic in particular: city control of the police department. On the surface, it sounds like a good idea. But the more I learn, the more I come to the realization that the current system of police department governance is the best one. The Mayor has established a commission whose stated mission is to determine what form of governance would be best for the police department. I have remained neutral about the topic as I gathered and analyzed facts, but given what I’ve learned and my extensive experience, I now think it’s time I voice my opinion. The best way to govern the department is our current system: a Board of Police Commissioners operating under state statute. This model best meets the needs of our community.

The KCPD is uniquely governed, and that is not a bad thing. Aside from a period of “home rule” from 1932 to 1939 (you can read more about city politics and the corruption of the police department during that time in this background paper from the Citizens Association of Kansas City), the Kansas City Police Department is controlled by a Board of Police Commissioners. The Missouri Governor appoints the members of this board, and those members are confirmed by the State Senate. Local representatives typically recommend members of the Board to the governor’s office. Board members must be residents of Kansas City, Mo. State statutes – written and voted on by elected representatives and senators – provide the rules the police department must follow. The Kansas City Mayor also has a seat on the Board.

Some people have said the KCPD needs to be under “local control.” If the aforementioned process isn’t local control, I don’t know what is. Local residents are recommended by local representatives elected by the people, chosen by an elected governor and confirmed by local state senators, also elected by Kansas City residents. The mayor – also elected by residents – is a commissioner, as well. Everyone who is in control of the police department lives in Kansas City, Mo.

The issue really in question is city control of the police department, not local control.

I urge you to consider the question, “How would not being governed by state statute improve police services?” According to the Citizens Association of Kansas City, which has hosted public forums on everything from city control of the police department to remodeling Kansas City International Airport, “The Board and Department have functioned as intended, scandal-free for 74 years. Governors of both parties have appointed recognized civic leaders. … The Department is highly regarded nationally, in large part because its board of governance is free from political pressures.”

Coming under city control always has brought with it the concerns of re-opening the door to political corruption within the police department. The current system shields our department from such corruption. Wouldn’t anyone want those charged with enforcing laws to be as free from political influence as possible? Police officers always should be free to do what is best for the safety of the city without fear of repercussion from elected officials. Police should be able to devote their resources to the areas of greatest need as determined by data and community input, not where an elected official requests officers to be for personal or political reasons.

My peers in charge of other major city police departments envy the way KCPD operates. Every election time, their organizations go into limbo. The whole direction of their department could change with the whims of new city council members or mayors, and the chiefs themselves could be ousted. We are fortunate in Kansas City to be able to build our policing strategy on data and best practices. We have the flexibility to meet the changing needs of the community, and I am able to freely express my opinion without fear of reprisal. I ask others to express their opinion on this important matter, as well.

Some have said it is unfair for the city to be required to fund the police department and not have a say in how the money is spent. All city departments, from Fire to Public Works, decide how to allocate their own budgets. The police are no exception. The Board of Police Commissioners annually submits a request for funds to the City Manager, and the manager and City Council ultimately hammer out how much money the Police Department receives. We are as responsible to tax-payers with our money as any other public entity. In fact, I challenge anyone to show a place where we are not responsible with our funds. Feel free to review our budget any time on our web site. We get criticized for taking up 46 percent of the city’s general fund budget. That is a significant amount, but consider that the general fund is only 31 percent of the city’s overall budget. And year after year, the Citizen Satisfaction Survey shows residents want public safety to be the city’s top funding priority.

Proponents of city control say it will save money through consolidation. This isn’t true. If the city currently has enough human resources or information technology staff to handle an additional 2,000 employees (the size of the police department), then they have too many people. The same number of total positions will be required to support the combined number of employees. The department also would lose $1 million annually from the State of Missouri’s Legal Defense Fund through city control. The city would have to take on that responsibility. It also would have to shoulder the cost of the services currently provided by the Missouri Attorney General’s office, which defends civil claims filed against the department and our members. It is difficult to place a dollar figure on these services, but the loss would cost the department and city a substantial sum in attorney’s fees and expenses.

We have a great working relationship with city officials and city departments. Our staff is constantly in communication with them, and we work together on a very regular basis.

Some people say city control would make police more accessible and responsive to residents. I would argue that police are more responsive and accessible to residents than any other segment of city government. Our staff has the most direct contact with citizens in the course of their duties. Officers attend innumerable community meetings, and we have seven officers whose specific assignment is to be a liaison between the community and the department. We have an Office of Community Complaints (also composed of Kansas City residents) that is charged with investigating misconduct of department members, as reported by the public. The OCC answers only to the Board of Police Commissioners, not to me or anyone else on the department. Residents also are welcome to make comments at Board meetings. We make our records as open and transparent as possible. We also are internationally recognized for our community engagement through social media.

Another argument for city control is that we are the only police department governed by a state-appointed board, and being the only one must be bad. Being unique isn’t a negative thing. The New York City Police Department was unique when it started CompStat 20 years ago. Now this data-based policing practice is used all over the nation. Perhaps our form of governance is a model other police departments should follow. Let’s not follow the so-called leader – let’s be the leader. It is good to be unique. My mother taught me from an early age that it’s OK to be different, and in this case, it’s more than OK.

Our form of governance has served the people of Kansas City well for generations. It shields their police from corruption, fosters accountability and provides the most professional service possible. Our department’s model of governance should be perpetuated for generations to come.

City's youth programming brings peace to the Plaza

Nights at the Country Club Plaza have been quiet so far this summer. But not far away, a youthful crowd is anything but quiet. They’re having swim parties, playing video games, dancing to a professional DJ, learning moves from hip hop instructors, participating in 3-on-3 basketball and Xbox tournaments, watching movies, using computers and having snacks and drinks.

This past weekend alone (July 27-28), 1,050 high-schoolers went to the Brush Creek Community Center to participate in Club KC, a free summer weekend hangout for young people presented by the City of Kansas City. Another 420 middle-schoolers gathered at the Gregg Klice and Tony Aguirre Community Centers last weekend. Those numbers have steadily increased since the City launched the program June 22.

This matters to police because this time last year and in 2010, we were devoting considerable resources to keeping the Plaza safe. Large crowds of young people gathered there, intimidating patrons, vandalizing property and occasionally erupting in violence. We have not had any major incidents on the Plaza this summer and no problems with rowdy crowds. This can be attributed to several things: curfews imposed last year and increased police presence. But I believe the opportunity the City is providing youth is the primary reason.

Club KC has shown that if you give young people (it’s open to ages 12-18) a place to go, they’ll go there and be constructive. Our officers provide security at Club KC events, and there have been no problems at them.

It takes resources for Parks and Recreation to put on this programming, but it’s difficult to argue how well it’s working. How much more money would it cost to put a sizeable police presence on the Plaza every weekend? How much tax revenue would the City lose if residents stopped patronizing businesses there out of fear? A small investment in community centers and their programming saves both the KCPD and the entire city a lot in the long run.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.

New ordinance will help prevent crime on vacant property

I'm pretty excited to report about a new ordinance passed by the City Council that now is in effect. We wrote about it in our May Informant newsletter, and I've pasted that article below. In short, police were having a horrible time getting cases prosecuted on those who stole from and vandalized vacant homes. Many had been foreclosed on, and the banks that owned them refused to act as victims and prosecute. The new ordinance essentially makes Kansas City the victim, and it will allow us to punish those who destroy neighborhoods. Click to read the new ordinance.

Here's the Informant article explaining why this was so needed:

While there is no official “victim” to sign a complaint when vacant houses are burglarized or damaged, Officer Jason Cooley said neighborhoods are what suffers.

“An out-of-state bank or owner has no investment in the community,” Officer Jason Cooley of the East Patrol Division said. “They’re not going to come here as the victim for a charge in city court. Meanwhile, neighborhoods are suffering, crime rates are sky-rocketing and property values are declining.”

Officer Cooley is working with officials in the City’s Neighborhood and Community Services Division to create an ordinance that would charge those who burglarize and vandalize vacant properties. Right now, police can watch someone tear out and steal copper from a vacant home, and the person will serve no jail time if the home’s owner cannot be contacted. About 45 percent of burglaries throughout the city occur in vacant properties.

“In order for us to charge someone, we have to prove a crime occurred, we have to prove a specific person did it, and we have to prove a specific victim suffered loss,” said Sergeant Brad Lemon of the Metro Patrol Division Property Crimes Section. “Right now, we can do two out of the three. We can’t do the last one.”

The mortgage crisis that began in 2008 continues to ripple through Kansas City. The Kansas City Star reported on April 19 that the city had about 12,000 vacant properties, up 20 percent since 2007. Many have been foreclosed on and are now owned by major national banks. Those banks are generally unwilling to prosecute when crimes occur on the homes in their portfolio.

“We have had zero successful prosecutions on bank-owned properties,” Sergeant Lemon said. “Burglaries have been out of control the last three years.”

Arsons also have been problematic. Kansas City recorded arsons at 103 vacant buildings in 2010. But a new ordinance could finally force criminals who prey on vacant properties to face jail time. The ordinance is under legal review right now but could come before the City Council soon. It would prohibit anyone from entering, damaging, or stealing from a vacant property.

“In essence, the City would be the victim,” Officer Cooley said.

Officer Cooley started pushing for the ordinance after riding along with Cleveland, Ohio, police during a vacant properties conference in October 2010. Cleveland officers said the problem had gotten so out of hand that thieves were causing explosions by stealing natural gas lines from vacant houses. The new ordinance allowed Cleveland to list the city as the victim of these crimes when no property owner could be contacted. Assistant Kansas City Prosecutor Beth Murano said no one has challenged Cleveland’s law.

Neighborhood leaders strongly support the new ordinance in Kansas City, Officer Cooley said.

“Community groups are excited about anything that can help,” he said. “… A lot of times, we catch these jokers, but when we can’t locate a victim, we simply have to let them go. With this, at least we have something to take them to jail for.”

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org

Police and City consolidations and collaborations

With the new fiscal year upon us (it began May 1), it was good timing that Deputy Chief Nick Nichols and Assistant City Manager Rich Noll did a joint presentation Wednesday to the City Council’s Public Safety and Neighborhoods Committee about all the ways KCPD has consolidated operations with the City to save money. Many people don’t realize how extensively we partner and how much money it saves. The initiatives listed below are just some of the latest things we’re doing. We haven’t estimated cost savings for all of them, but what we have estimated is well over $1 million.

• Joint contracts for wireless devices like cell phones
• Joint computer replacement program
• E-Ticketing/Municipal Court management system – An effort is underway for an e-ticketing system that would be used by police, traffic enforcement, animal control, property code enforcement and others. Errors inherent to hand-written citations will be reduced, and big cost savings and enhanced revenue collection could result.
• Common e-mail system – The City is moving forward with switching from their system to KCPD’s
• FuelMaster Fuel Management System – Manages fueling for all of the City’s and Police Departments’ vehicles. In addition to its analytical capabilities (predicting fuel usage and the like), the system makes fuel theft nearly impossible.
• Combined building and grounds maintenance at three police stations
• Combined beverage and snack vending agreement
• Police are now providing Municipal Court security
• Police dispatchers now dispatch for Animal Public Health and Safety and Tow Operations
• Shared video production facility
• Joint management of City and Department web sites
• Joint training opportunities at the Police Academy
• Joint IT security supervisor

These are the newest initiatives, but some of our collaborations have been ongoing for years. For instance, the Police Department has managed, installed, repaired and maintained the whole City’s radio system for 30 years. For several years now, the City’s Parking Control division has handled parking enforcement Downtown while KCPD Parking Control officers focus on neighborhoods throughout the city. And if it’s a good deal for our employees, we’re considering joining the City in their self insurance plan for health coverage.

We work with City staff every step of the way in planning and implementing our budget, and I look forward to seeing what new, money-saving collaborations will come in the future.

Send comments to kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org