Police commissioner texted Missouri governor that she never agreed to KCPD Chief Smith’s ouster

The day after an attempt to force Kansas City Police Chief Rick Smith’s departure was made public, the newest Board of Police Commissioners member, Dawn Cramer, assured Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s office she had not agreed to vote Smith out.

The Star reported Nov. 23 that the five-member board had three votes to terminate Smith if needed and that police board president Mark Tolbert and Mayor Quinton Lucas — who sits on the board — met with Smith to discuss his departure. A memo dated that day, addressed to Smith from Tolbert and Lucas, said that Smith would announce his retirement March 1 and that his last day will be April 22.

The Star’s editorial board reported that the third vote was Cramer, who was appointed by Gov. Mike Parson in August and awaits confirmation in January by the Missouri Senate. Four of the five board members are appointed by the governor. The fifth seat is held by the mayor.

Cramer told Parson’s office early on the afternoon of Nov. 24 that she had never agreed to vote Smith out, according to a text message obtained by The Star through a public records request.

“Just to set record straight I have never agreed to vote the Chief off this is BS!” Cramer wrote. “I’ve told Tolbert if he doesn’t straighten out with media I will!”

The message was sent to Kyle Aubuchon, Parson’s boards and commissions director. In a subsequent statement to The Star, she again denied agreeing to vote against Smith.

“I am very appreciative of his service to the city and he has earned it,” Cramer said. “I never stated my support to terminate his contract and he has my full support until he retires.”

A source told The Star that same day that Cramer had been supportive of early retirement for Smith but was not ready to go as far as terminating him.

It’s not clear if her role in the dispute over Smith’s future will be the subject of questions during confirmation. Neither Cramer nor Parson’s spokeswoman responded immediately to requests for comment.

Smith and his allies have maintained he always planned to retire five years into his tenure. During a public appearance in Kansas City on Tuesday, Parson reiterated his support for Smith.

“I think with their leadership -- I’m a big fan of Chief Smith -- I think he does a good job here,” Parson said. “And I’m thankful for his retirement, that he’s set up in place. We were kind of aware of that early on and we were fine with that.”

Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo, an Independence Democrat, said this week any confirmation hearing “is about the board and what they do, and not so much about allegiance to one politician or another.”

Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, a Parkville Republican who has been supportive of Smith, said he hopes any commissioner appointed will support “a robust police force,” advocate for police funding and “be a partner with the police chief, whether that’s Rick Smith, for however long he stays in position, or whether that’s somebody in the future after he decides voluntarily that he is ready to retire.”

Cramer is vice president of a capital management firm located in Kansas City, North. She replaced Nathan Garrett, who resigned from the police board in June after his family moved out of the city.

She joined Smith at a community meeting in south Kansas City Wednesday night. Neither addressed the move to force Smith to retire or his comments about the fatal shooting of Cameron Lamb. Just after a now-convicted Kansas City police detective fatally shot Lamb on Dec. 3, 2019, Smith could be heard on audio saying the “bad guy’s dead.”.

The Star’s Jonathan Shorman contributed reporting.

This story was originally published December 2, 2021 at 5:14 PM.