Missouri governor signs Kansas City police funding bill. KC mayor says it will go to court

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signed legislation Monday to increase the minimum funding threshold of the Kansas City Police Department to 25% of the city’s general revenue, as Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said he will take the legislation to court.

Parson, who held the signing ceremony at the KCPD’s downtown headquarters, said it was time to make the increase to reduce violent crime, hire more police officers and make the city safer.

Lucas said in a statement that the bill violates the state constitution and will be challenged in court.

“The political action today is a step back and yet another action meant to restrict the choices and freedom of the people of Kansas City,” Lucas said.

Parson, a Republican and former Polk County sheriff, said there are three fronts to addressing violent crime in Missouri: removing violent criminals from the streets, prosecutors willing to prosecute them and an effective court system.

“If there is a breakdown in any of those three, the system does not work,” Parson said. “But in order for this system to work, you got to have police officers on the ground every day.”

He said it’s been difficult to recruit officers, but that departments need to be funded.

In order for the legislation to be constitutional, a proposal will go to statewide voters on Nov. 8. The proposed amendment would create an exception to the provision in Missouri’s constitution that restricts the General Assembly from passing unfunded mandates to local governments.

The amendment is the result of a failed attempt by Lucas and council members to assert more control over the budget.

The police department is governed by a five-member board, with Missouri’s governor appointing four members. The fifth is left for the mayor. The governor-appointed members, as well as several members of the department, were present at Monday’s signing.

State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, a Republican who represents parts of Platte County, said the plan pushed by Lucas and the majority of the City Council to reallocate $42 million from the police budget meant “it was clear that at that time something had to be done.”

The funds would have moved to a Community Services and Prevention Fund. The police department would have been funded at the required 20% threshold, but the city would have controlled spending above that. A judge found the city violated state law.

Luetkemeyer said the increase is “more in line with the modern day funding needs of the department.” He added: “We need to make sure that we’re defending our police, not defunding them.”

All four Northland council members voted against the reallocation last year. Councilwoman Heather Hall, District 1, who said the bill signing showed “law and order today being done,” was the only one present Monday.

“This is a good day for the people in Kansas City because this means that we’re going to be able to have stronger public safety to keep our citizens safe,” Hall said.

Lucas said the bill doesn’t increase the funds Kansas City already provides.

“Instead, the bill represents the raw exercise of power by state lawmakers over the people of Kansas City, as the only people in our state without the ability to influence how one quarter of our budget is spent,” Lucas said.

Lucas cited pay raises for officers, new recruiting classes and increased officer morale since he and the council were in more control of budgeting.

“Thankfully, the women and men of the Kansas City Police Department are above partisan stunts,” Lucas said. “I wish our state legislators and state appointees would follow their lead when it comes to the safety of our families.”