‘That’s actually harmful’: Prosecutor tells KCPD board small drug cases are not wanted
The decades-old belief in saturating neighborhoods with police to pursue low-level drug crimes isn’t working, Jackson County’s top prosecutor told Kansas City police commissioners on Tuesday.
Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker wants the police department stop sending her office low-level drug cases and instead of focus on violent crime.
Baker said her office is creating narrow guidelines for drug cases and will charge them when a defendant poses a public safety risk.
“But going after a violent crime by going after a low level offenses has high impact, and perhaps not the one that we’re actually after,” Baker said during the police board monthly meeting.
“Perhaps it’s one that’s actually harmful.”
Drugs and crime
Baker said Kansas City police sent 1,402 felony drug cases to her office last year.
An analysis showed that only about 25% of drug cases within four years had a nexus to violence, when considering factors such as gun crimes or physical violence.
That meant that 75% had “no discernible connection” to violence.
“I’ve always been taught drugs equal violence and that just isn’t true from this data,” she said. “We want drug cases if you can show me there is a connection to violence.”
Police board
The police board took no action on Baker’s findings. One police commissioner said residents want officers to respond to violence in their neighborhoods.
“How can we give our officers direction to do certain things in Jackson County, that they don’t do in the other three counties?” said Commissioner Cathy Dean. “I mean if that isn’t discrimination then I am concerned that it is.”
Baker replied: “You do that right now with enforcement practices.”
Currently, enforcement fails to deter drug sales, or crimes related to drugs, Baker said. Very few substance abusers get treatment quickly. In Kansas City, it takes a months just to get cases submitted and charges filed.
Decades of arresting people and prosecuting them, even when many go to diversion programs, is highly inefficient, Baker said.
Baker said she would like to create neighborhood accountability boards and find ways to build trust and relationships with law enforcement.
“What my hope is that it impacts particularized communities, vulnerable communities in this way: They believe enforcement practices and prosecution practices are fair,” Baker said. “If they believe we’re fair then when we need them they will be there for us. It’s about trust.”
Prosecutors in Platte and Clay counties have urged the police department to continue to send them drug cases to prosecute.
This story was originally published July 27, 2021 at 12:01 PM.
