Kansas City Police Chief Darryl Forte is getting rid of the title Community Interaction Officer for six positions. Some leaders worry the move will cause them to lose their direct police contacts.
A community interaction officer is responsible for being a liaison between neighborhoods and the police department. The officer attends events, offers information and is a direct point of contact for many non-emergency issues a neighborhood has.
Deb Hermann, with Northland Neighborhoods, Inc., is concerned about not having the two officers who are the go-to people for neighbors in her group.
"To say that they will all be able to do what the CIO did, I think is not realistic."
Forte said he’s simply getting rid of the title and adding the duty to all of his officers. He said it is an expectation all police officers serve the community in that way.
“Residents had one community interaction officer. Now each division will have a multitude of community interaction officers. Whoever works that area, they'll be responsible for responding to those community groups, as well as the major and assistant division commander captains,” Forte explained.
Hermann isn’t saying the chief’s new plan won’t work, but worries officers are already stretched thin. She’s disappointed the community didn’t have a say in the change.
“We don't know. I mean the chief, no one, has told us what the plan is."
Forte said each division of the department will be responsible for creating a plan that works for it. Commanders have 90 days to create a plan.
"Everybody on this job, including me, we're going to be problem solving, with partnerships, holding each other accountable,” Forte added.
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Lexi Sutter can be reached at lexi.sutter@kshb.com.
