KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Several Kansas City-area civic and civil rights organizations have submitted a letter to the United States Department of Justice calling for the agency to expand its probe of the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department.
The Greater Kansas City Urban League, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference - Kansas City, Westport Presbyterian Church, BlaqOur and More2 are calling for the DOJ to open a pattern and practice investigation of KCPD.
"We don't want to wait for Kansas City to become infamous, we want the Department of Justice to do, justice," Doug Shafer of More2 said at a news conference Friday morning outside the Charles E. Whittaker U.S. Courthouse in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.
Last fall, Department of Justice investigators launched a review of the department’s employment practices.
"We are wanting them to go deeper because the saga continues with this police department," Urban League President Gwen Grant said at the news conference. "Even though we've had a change of leadership, we still need to get the Department of Justice to take a deep dive look at practices and policies."
On Friday, the coalition of organization called for more, citing the governing structure of the Board of Police Commissioners - appointed by the Missouri governor - as one of the reasons for the call.
“Kansas City should be seen as a cautionary tale of what occurs when oversight is ripped from the community and given to individuals outside of the respective city - individuals without a direct interest in the operation of the police department,” the group wrote in the letter.
The 22-page letter was addressed to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, Kristen Clark.
The group previously sent a letter to the DOJ in July 2021 calling for the employment practice investigation.
“The DOJ investigation is much appreciated, and much needed, but unfortunately, does not address all the imperative uses within KCPD,” the letter reads.
A KCPD spokesperson said KCPD Chief of Police Stacey Graves has made community relationships "a priority" since taking the top job last December.
"She has met with community groups, key stakeholders and instituted regular listening sessions to hear the community's concerns," KCPD Sgt. Jacob Becchina said in an e-mail to KSHB 41. "We have been and will continue to cooperate with the DOJ."
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