Gov. Parson, please listen to Kansas City in choosing a new police commissioner | Opinion
We’ve been critical of Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s appointees to the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners. And for good reason. Community input is vital. Parson seemingly ignores the wishes of Kansas Citians with these nominations.
We’ve also questioned the governor’s aversion to local control of the Kansas City Police Department and how much taxpayers here spend on policing. He’s ignored calls to nominate a person of color to the powerful police board.
Since 2005, no woman of color has served as a police commissioner.
Recently, Parson has been more willing to consider what Kansas City needs, according to Missouri state Sen. Barbara Washington, a Democrat from Kansas City. And that development is promising.
Wouldn’t it be great if Parson looked at the existing board and added a new and different voice from another part of the community?
Kansas City’s predominantly Black East Side is not represented on the five-member board that governs the city’s police department.
Kansas Citians deserve equal representation on the police board.
Because the lack of diversity on the board is so glaring, Parson must be intentional about filling a vacant seat with a minority candidate.
Of the current four police commissioners, only Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas is a person of color. Commissioners Cathy Dean, Dawn Cramer and Thomas Whittaker all live in Kansas City, but none lives east of Troost, where a new candidate could bring perspectives not currently seen. Parson appointed all three to serve four-year terms.
Dean’s term expires in March. With the next two appointments, Parson could really chart the future of the state-run Kansas City Police department. But first things first: We urge Parson not to stack the police board with appointees who mirror the Republican governor’s right-leaning political views.
Former Commissioner Mark Tolbert, an African American pastor, announced in May he was stepping down from the police board. Last month, he retired. While we appreciate Tolbert’s dedicated years of service, a different minority voice was needed.
In 2017, Tolbert was appointed by former Gov. Eric Greitiens and served on an expired term for two years. A change was long overdue.
Under the city’s antiquated setup, Lucas is the only police commissioner accountable to the public. The other four are appointed by the governor.
And that is why Parson’s pick — expected to be announced sometime early next year, according to state officials we spoke with — is so important.
Police sent most often to calls from urban core
We asked the governor’s office if we should expect a new appointee in the near future and if Parson would consider recommendations from community stakeholders here?
In a statement, Johnathan Shiflett, a spokesman for Parson’s office, told us there is no timeline on when an appointment will be announced.
“Governor Parson will look for a qualified individual who well represents the Kansas City community to fill the open position on the Board,” Shiflett wrote in an email. “Governor Parson always welcomes recommendations/feedback from stakeholders regarding any appointments he considers.”
In this city, police respond to more calls for service in an urban core heavily populated with minorities, according to community activists. Not one appointed commissioner resides east of Troost Avenue, they said. This obvious omission must be addressed.
A minority attorney would be a great fit for the police board, Gwen Grant, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, told us. A Black female lawyer from the urban core would be a better candidate, according to Grant.
“Who better to set policy than an attorney?” she asked. Parson must consider this perspective.
It’s impossible to know who Parson may nominate to replace Tolbert — these behind-the-scenes proceedings are usually kept quiet because of the sensitive nature of the job.
Parson’s office collaborated with local and statewide elected officials from Kansas City to nominate Whittaker, according to local officials we spoke with. Area civic and business leaders were equally engaged, we were told.
Washington, who represents Missouri’s 9th District, was part of that process, she said. She’s had ongoing discussions with Parson this time around as well.
In those discussions, Washington made it clear she would like to see someone who represents Kansas City’s urban core appointed to the position.
“I would like for them to be from my district,” she said.
In the way the Kansas City Police Department is organized, Parson yields considerable influence on how the department is run. He shouldn’t forget the needs of all Kansas Cirians when he makes his next recommendation for police commissioner.
This story was originally published December 15, 2023 at 5:06 AM.