The search is on for a new police chief. We Kansas Citians need a seat at the table

The search for a new Kansas City Police Department chief opened this week and the California consulting firm leading that process has shared the final list of job qualifications. It includes much of what the community said it wants in their top cop. That’s why the members of the Board of Police Commissioners, who will pick the next chief, need to scoot over and give the community a seat in the rest of the process.

The people of Kansas City have good reason for wanting to see a different approach in this search and selection process. They want to be involved in every step, from setting qualifications to interviews with top candidates. The firm says that’s up to the commissioners, but the board hasn’t agreed to that idea yet. They absolutely should.

That would go a long way toward helping citizens get a chief with whom they can build a good relationship. And it would give legitimacy to the new chief — which has not been the case in the last five years.

Kansas Citians spent months collecting information to determine that Kansas City wants the next police chief to be trustworthy, with proven experience in engagement with the public, community policing and reducing violent crime.

The police board got the public’s wish list, and a link to it is included in the job description brochure. But some community leaders still aren’t completely satisfied with what commissioners have highlighted as salient aptitudes for leading and reforming Kansas City’s nearly 1,500-member police force — the largest in Missouri.

“If you compare this pamphlet to the one from 2017, it’s basically the same wording,” said the Rev. Darron Edwards, lead pastor of United Believers Community Church, who has worked at getting public input in this police chief search. Yes it’s similar, but this brochure outlines the community involvement process and emphasizes that this time, Kansas City residents want a chief they can work with.

In 2017, the same firm tapped for this search recommended pulling Rick Smith from inside the department for the leadership job. He turned out to be one the worst police chiefs in a generation. Before he finally retired in April, Kansas City’s legacy civil rights groups and other urban leaders wanted Smith fired because he failed at community engagement and did nothing to reduce violent crime or stop excessive force by his officers when dealing with Black residents.

Smith protected bad cops at the expense of public safety.

Almost all previous chiefs from inside department

Nearly every one of the city’s past police chiefs has been someone already serving in the KCPD. The board needs to bring in fresh perspectives to change the soured culture Smith left behind.

“The new chief needs to come from outside the department,” said Gwendolyn Grant, president of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, who has been outspoken about getting rid of Smith and reforming the police force.

The brochure highlights the need for candidates who are experienced in dealing with gun violence and community policing, who are culturally aware, understand implicit bias and de-escalation justice, and who can handle racism within officers’ ranks.

The job description also includes specific education qualifications, which some say is exclusionary. “It’s a barrier to entry where certain candidates wouldn’t even be considered or processed,” Edwards said. Of course a college degree is necessary. But commissioners shouldn’t toss out good candidates based on what they didn’t study before making law enforcement a career.

“What the people want is someone with strong leadership skills, and education credentials do not define a leader,” Grant said.

The new chief will be chosen before the end of the year. Kansas City’s elected officials have no local control over police — a major barrier to pushing any reform efforts. Yet Kansas Citians’ taxes will pay the chief’s salary which the job posting lists in the range of $140,000 to $189,000 a year.

There are several more steps in the process including virtual interviews with candidates next month, followed by visits to Kansas City by a smaller group of top candidates.

“We are hopeful that the process the board is undertaking will lead to a final candidate who reflects the community’s desires,” said Joe Reardon, president of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.

Kansas City may not have local control of its police department, but the people who live here ought to have a say in who leads it.