Could embattled ex-KCPD chief be tapped by Trump for federal job in Missouri?
Embattled former Kansas City Police Chief Rick Smith could be poised for a new federal law enforcement job, a potentially extraordinary appointment after his stormy exit as the city’s top cop.
Smith confirmed to The Star on Monday that U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt’s office reached out to him about whether he was interested in becoming the next U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Missouri, a post largely responsible for locating and arresting federal suspects.
“Someone asked me, would I be interested in the position — I said, sure, I’d entertain that,” said Smith, who served as police chief from 2017 until he retired under pressure in 2022.
The appointment, which would be issued by President Donald Trump, is far from a certainty. Smith repeatedly downplayed the possibility, saying that he did not remember when he spoke with Schmitt’s office and had not talked with anyone about the position in months.
Smith declined to expand further, other than confirming that the senator’s office had reached out to him and that he expressed interest. The revelation comes as Schmitt, a Republican, has recently touted several other federal appointments in Missouri.
A spokesperson for Schmitt did not respond to multiple calls and requests for comment about whether the Republican senator had recommended Trump appoint Smith. Spokespeople for the White House and U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley also did not respond to requests for comment.
Smith’s potential promotion, however, has roiled law enforcement accountability advocates, who point to a laundry list of complaints about his tenure in Kansas City. As chief, Smith faced criticism for his department’s handling of excessive use of force, specifically the killing of Black men by police.
Lauren Bonds, executive director of the National Police Accountability Project, called the news concerning in an interview. She said Smith left the Kansas City Police Department under allegations of lack of care for the community, particularly the Black community.
“I just think that there were a number of indicators of problems within the department during his leadership that, you know, I think, would raise concerns about his ability to do this work in a way that isn’t racially biased or not harmful to Black and brown people in particular,” Bonds said.
Smith’s time in Kansas City was marked, in part, by conflict with community and local leaders. That fraught relationship was worsened by sustained protests and calls for his resignation after the fatal shootings of Black men by police, perhaps most notably the 2019 shooting of Cameron Lamb by then-Det. Eric DeValkenaere.
Gwen Grant, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, slammed Smith in a statement to The Star that called his potential appointment “deeply troubling.”
“In my opinion, Smith is a poor leader and a racist,” Grant said. “His record in Kansas City reflects failed leadership, broken trust with the community and an inability to fairly and effectively police in a diverse city.”
Smith’s supporters tout his leadership
But Smith also has a long roster of supporters in Kansas City who tout his leadership and frame criticism of the former police chief as unfair. Two former commissioners who served on the board that oversees the KCPD told The Star on Wednesday that Smith would be a good candidate for the job.
Leland Shurin, who served on the board from 2015 to 2019 and described himself as a “lefty Democrat” and the “most left-wing guy that will be on the police board,” said that he and Smith maintained a friendship despite political disagreements.
“Rick Smith is very intelligent, very politically astute, very knowledgeable of criminal and judicial and police procedures,” said Shurin, an attorney by trade. “He’s a very good administrator. And, I mean, he’d be great at the job.”
Nathan Garrett, who served on the board from 2017 to 2021, also touted Smith’s qualifications in a statement to The Star that referenced how Smith operated outside of public view.
“He’s a man of immense integrity and focus; willing to make hard but fair choices when others wait for problems to solve themselves,” said Garrett, an attorney and former prosecutor. “He’s a leader. And has now what he earned then, my full confidence and support.”
When asked for comment about Smith’s potential move, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, who also serves on the police board, was diplomatic about Smith’s time with the KCPD.
“Chief Smith dedicated thirty years of his life to making Kansas City safer,” Lucas said in a statement. “I wish Chief Smith and his family well on the next phase of their journey.”
A federal appointment would be a steep rise for Smith. The U.S. Marshal’s Office, a Justice Department agency, serves as the security arm for federal courthouses and handles federal fugitive operations. Historically, the office also oversaw security for Black students during the Civil Rights Movement.
The office’s western district post covers a broad swath of western Missouri and is based in Kansas City. The full-time position has been vacant since 2021 after the retirement of Mark James, who is now Missouri’s director of public safety.
After retiring from the KCPD in April 2022, Smith briefly worked as an advisor to the city of St. Joseph Police Department. That contract was cut short after a Department of Justice investigation into the KCPD prompted community concerns about his qualifications.
