KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Team Roc — the social justice division of Jay Z’s entertainment agency — combined with the Midwest Innocence Project to submit a Kansas Open Records request Thursday amid corruption and misconduct allegations against the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department (KCKPD).
This request comes on the first anniversary of the #JusticeForKCK rally on Nov. 17, 2022, that called for the U.S. Department of Justice to launch a pattern-or-practice investigation into the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department.
The request reflects an ongoing interest both Team ROC and MIP have had in KCKPD and is not the first letter the organizations have sent to Kansas officials.
KSHB 41 investigated Team Roc’s call for a look into KCKPD’s alleged misconduct and resulting inaction from the DOJ.
In Thursday’s request, sent to the KCK Department of Administration’s Clerks Division, the Kansas Attorney General’s Custodian of Records and the KCKPD Custodian of Records, accused the police department of the following:
- Use of excessive and unnecessary force and battery
- Sexual harassment and sexual assault
- Officer conspiracies to violate citizen’s civil rights
“Disclosure of the requested information is in the public interest and will contribute to the public’s understanding of KCKPD practices by shedding light on issues that have long been shielded from public view,” said Kali N. Bracey, a member of the team of lawyers from Jenner & Block LLP that submitted the KORA request.
KORA requests have a three-business day response time in which the custodian of records must respond. There is no response from the custodian of records at this time.
