Independence police do far more car chases than rest of KC. That has to stop | Opinion
Douglas Brinkley is the interim police chief in Independence. On Monday, he made a pretty compelling case as to why the agency needs a more restrictive vehicle pursuit policy.
In 2025, Independence officers conducted 541 vehicle pursuits, Brinkley said during a City Council study session. Despite Kansas City having a population almost four times higher than Independence, KCPD officers pursued only 137 vehicles last year, Brinkley said
In Kansas City, Kansas (population 153,000), there were 40 pursuits one year ago. Lee’s Summit (population 108,000) had only eight and Blue Springs (population 62,000) just 12.
Ultimately, the final decision to reshape how cops pursue suspects rests in the hands of the Independence city manager, according to Brinkley. Right now, that’s interim Lisa Reynolds. But a permanent leader will be announced soon, according to Councilwoman Bridget McCandless, a candidate for mayor in April’s municipal election.
“We have made an offer to a city manager,” McCandless said Monday. She did not offer a timeline but hinted a new hire was imminent barring any unforeseen circumstances. “We will be able to announce that soon.”
Because of this pending development, it would be in the city’s best interest for interim City Manager Reynolds to stand down until the position is filled. Any major policy decisions regarding Independence police should be left to a permanent city manager. Reynolds left soon after the meeting was over, and I wasn’t able to interview her.
During the meeting, Brinkley presented data that showed Independence far outpaced four other neighboring jurisdictions in Kansas City, Blue Springs, Lee’s Summit and KCK.
And it wasn’t even close. IPD accounted for nearly three-fourths of all vehicle pursuits conducted last year in those five cities.
Brinkley said he exchanged emails with police chiefs in those other cities to get a better understanding of their pursuit policies and related data. What he learned and presented on Monday was jaw-dropping.
Key difference: no pursuit for nonviolent offenses
Why were these agencies’ numbers so much lower than Independence’s despite the close proximity? None allow officers to conduct pursuits for nonviolent offenses, according to Interim Chief Brinkley. If he had his way, Independence officers would no longer initiate hot pursuits over nonviolent traffic-related offenses.
“The difference between us and the other cities that’s listed here, they don’t routinely pursue for misdemeanor or nonviolent crimes,” he said.
As it stands now, Independence officers can chase people — and they often do — for minor traffic violations. According to Brinkley, 65% to 70% of pursuits in Independence begin because of relatively minor offenses. That needs to change immediately. The Independence City Council should put an immediate halt to these chases until a new city manager is in place.
Although Brinkley recommended to city leaders a more restrictive policy that would limit police chases to violent crime or reckless driving that presents a clear danger, he told the council that an internal policy committee made up of department personnel formed to study the issue preferred the current setup.
Keeping the status quo intact in Independence is unacceptable. A crash last New Year’s Eve that resulted in the death of a Kansas City man began in Independence after a driver was pulled over for a minor traffic violation.
One death is one too many, as Brinkley said during the presentation.
After looking at the number of pursuits IPD conducted over a three-year period beginning in 2023, I can’t say that I blame Brinkley for wanting to implement 21st-century policing practices that limit these high-speed chases. That year, there were 533 pursuits in Independence, followed by 519 in 2024.
An external audit urged Independence police to stop chasing nonviolent offenders. And a 2023 report by the Police Executive Research Forum, a think tank on law enforcement standards, found that a more restrictive pursuit policy does not lead to more crime a fear outgoing Mayor Rory Rowland and some council members expressed concern about this week.
As my colleagues and I on The Star Editorial Board have argued for years, the risk posed by hot pursuits isn’t worth the reward in most cases.
Independence, the time is long overdue to put an end to these dangerous, unnecessary car chases.
This story was originally published March 10, 2026 at 1:26 PM.
