Kansas City Police Chief Candidates Say They Will Work On Homicide Rate, Reducing Racism | KCUR 89.3

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Tackle the city’s high homicide rate, fight racism, and commit to community policing.

The three contenders for Kansas City police chief were interviewed in public Saturday, mostly agreeing on anti-crime and pro-community initiatives, while being vague on specifics to achieve goals. They didn’t mention that Kansas City is the only US city without local oversight of its police department, but the activists did.

The Board of Police Commissioners, which is appointed by Missouris governor, last Monday announced the three finalists for the position and set a single open meeting to interview them.

Protesters chanting for local control interrupted the meeting, saying they were angry that it was the only public outing for candidates during the months-long hiring process to replace chief Rick Smith, now in charge. retreat, who often had a combative relationship with militants.

Decarcerate KC’s Amaia Cook was pictured outside the public forum on Saturday after disrupting the meeting. She said the activists were promised four listening sessions.

Decarcerate KC’s Amaia Cook stood up and screamed during the interview with Acting KCPD Deputy Chief Stacey Graves, saying they were promised four listening sessions. It was a lie, she said, casting the forum as a “scam for the board to cover for its favorite candidate, Graves, who will be its puppet.

We want justice. We want resources, Cook said before being kicked out of the building. We don’t want another spineless police chief covering up for murderous cops.

Graves, who sat quietly onstage as board chairman Mark Talbert tried to silence activists, had previously acknowledged community criticism of the lack of transparency in the hiring process and attempted to talk to protesters.

I see you. I hear you, Graves said. Please give me a chance.

Besides Graves, candidates include Inspector DeShawn Beaufort of the Philadelphia Police Department and retired Lt. Col. Scott Ebner of the New Jersey State Police. About 100 people showed up for the three-hour event at the Mohart Center in Midtown.

Kansas City Police Acting Deputy Chief Stacey Graves is the only internal candidate of the three finalists for police chief.

Beaufort, the only black candidate, was also the only one to discuss the US Department of Justice’s ongoing investigation into alleged racist hiring practices at the KCPD. Whether the problem is perceived or real, he said, it is a problem and it requires change.

He experienced racism during his long processional career, as well as personally, Beaufort said. If hired, he would add an officer to his leadership staff who works solely on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB), he said.

I can’t tell you enough: it’s not a bad agency. It’s just an agency that’s on the precipice, Beaufort said. That’s how I like to see it. Were on a precipice, in the police and as an agency.

Beaufort said his top three priorities as chief would be to work to reduce gun violence, engage with the community and restore public trust.

Graves said his top three priorities would be building bridges across the city by holding intentional quarterly meetings, tackling violent crime, and working to recruit new officers and retain officers.

We should be the highest paid police department in the area, she said. We are the largest police service, we are the first agency. We should be paid as such.

Asked about the city’s high homicide rate, Kansas City ranks top US cities for violence, according to the FBI and other investigations, Graves said it could be attributed to the inability to resolve disputes. . KCPD crime statistics show that the No. 1 contributing factor to homicides is an argument.

The leading cause of homicides in our city is the lack of conflict resolution, she said. I think it’s something that should be taught in our schools, and I’m sure in some places it already is.

Alvin Brooks, a former KCPD officer and long-serving community leader, questioned why the council did not interview candidates about community policing projects. Cathy Dean, vice chair of the board, said she had private talks.

Retired Lt. Col. Scott Ebner of the New Jersey State Police responds to a question posed by Kansas City Deputy City Manager Kimiko Gilmore during a public forum held Saturday to interview the three Kansas City Police Chief finalists. Mark Tolbert, chairman of the board, is seated in the foreground

All three said they support the idea of ​​community policing, a concept that recognizes that the police cannot solve public safety problems alone and encourages community partnerships. Ebner said he would come up with solutions involving the city’s 240 neighborhoods.

Ebner also said his top three priorities if hired as chief were to build trust with the community, reduce violent crime and recruit officers. Ebner said he traveled to Kansas City on Friday and met with two KCPD divisions because he wanted officers’ opinions.

The #1 thing they told me was that they were losing officers at a drastic rate and we couldn’t hire anyone, Ebner said. This needs to be addressed because it seeps into any other requirements or any other priorities you are going to have.

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