New ID cards from KCK police department are meeting an important community need

As a social worker at Cross-Lines Community Outreach, I work alongside people experiencing homelessness in Wyandotte County every day. In its Aug. 15 editorial, “KCK police program won’t fix real problems with identification,” The Star criticized the new city ID program administered by the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department. I would like to offer a different perspective.

Our agency supports the efforts of those in the community pushing for the county’s proposed Safe and Welcoming ordinance. We agree with The Star Editorial Board that continued debate should be had about Safe and Welcoming, and recommend that the Unified Government pass the measure. This police department ID program is not a substitute for Safe and Welcoming, nor is it an attempt to discredit the ordinance’s efforts. While Safe and Welcoming targets a broad group of community members, the KCKPD ID program serves a different purpose for a micropopulation.

Many people experiencing homelessness become victims of theft, often having their identification stolen. The process to get their needed documents for housing, employment and services can be quite challenging and time-consuming. The police department’s ID program has already been a game-changer for helping this population expedite access to their documents.

Modeled after a similar program in Topeka, applicants are issued a city ID that is accepted by the Kansas Department of Revenue as proof of identification, enabling them to obtain a temporary state ID. If they were born in Kansas, they can use these two documents to get a copy of their birth certificate from the state Office of Vital Statistics. Once they have their birth certificate, they can get their full Kansas state identification card. This process with the state entities is only acceptable because the ID is issued by the police department.

The KCKPD Community Policing Unit is a vital part of the homeless street outreach efforts in Kansas City, Kansas. Officers have agreed to work with service providers to issue ID cards in the community, so applicants don’t have to go to the police station. We understand the reluctance some people have to engage with the police, and have options to continue to support those individuals in accessing their documents.

I will agree that the timing of the rollout of the police department’s IDs may have led to suspicion, but this program has been in the planning stages for a long time. I have been in conversation with KCKPD for nearly 18 months about the need for this type of identification. The pandemic has only exacerbated the need as we continue to see an increase in homelessness across the metropolitan area.

It is possible to be in favor of the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department’s IDs and the Wyandotte County Safe and Welcoming ordinance at the same time. Both are important and can have a positive impact on vulnerable members of our community. I would encourage the community to support both programs.

Rob Santel is director of housing solutions for Cross-Lines Community Outreach in Kansas City, Kansas, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides a daily safety net of services for at-risk families, the elderly and individuals.

This story was originally published August 31, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "New ID cards from KCK police department are meeting an important community need."