KANSAS CITY, Mo. — While attending his final Kansas City, Missouri, Board of Police of Commissioners meeting as Chief of Police on Monday, Rick Smith spoke on the state that the city's police department is in.
According to Smith, who will retire as chief on Friday, it's currently a challenging time for the department and policing in general.
He said there's currently a balance between officers who will finish their careers and others who are evaluating if they want to.
"There's challenges to make, like I said in the board meeting, I think with the proper support you can overcome those challenges," Smith said.
During Smith's tenure as chief, KCMO recorded the most homicides in city history in 2020, and followed it up with the second most in 2021.
His tenure also included calls for police reform following the murder of George Floyd.
Despite the challenges, Smith applauded the efforts of those who work for the department.
"The people here go out and do an incredible job given the circumstances," he said.
He also said he's optimistic about the future of the department.
"I only see policing getting better," he said. "I see relationships building, technology gaining and there's a lot of positive aspects that are coming along."
KCPD Deputy Chief Joseph Mabin will serve as interim chief of police until a permanent replacement for Smith is found.
