HCSHB1986--POLICEDEPARTMENTFUNDING
SPONSOR: Brown(16)
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonPublicSafetybyavoteof7to3.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
1986.
Thisbillclarifiesthat,forthepurposeofcitiescalculating
one-fifthofgeneralrevenuethatmustbeallocatedtofundinga
policedepartment,generalrevenueofthecitiesthatisdevotedto
specialpurposesorallocatedtospecialfundsbythecities'
charterandordinancesmustbeincludedinthecalculation,subject
toexceptionsinthebill.Onesuchexceptionisanytaxor
appropriationwiththededicatedpurposeoffundingfirst
respondersinthecitieswillbeexcludedfromthecalculation.
Thisbillcontainsanemergencyclause.
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthisclarifiesandbolstersthe
financialobligationofthecitytotheKansasCityPolice
Department(KCPD).Thebillisbecauseofthedefundingmoveby
theMayorofKansasCity.ThecourtruledtheMayorandthe
Councilviolatedstatelawregardingthefundingofthepolice.If
thedefundingwouldhavebeenallowed,itwouldhavehaddisastrous
resultsforKansasCity.Thiswillhopefullyensurenofurther
attemptstocircumventthestatutoryauthorityoffundingforKCPD.
TestifyingforthebillwereRepresentative Brown;KansasCity
MissouriBoardofPoliceCommissioners; andArnieC.Dienoff.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythatthiserodeslocal
control. Ithasnothingtodowithdisrespectforlawenforcement
officersthatpatrolKansasCityeveryday.Thislegislationdoes
notguaranteeraisesorrecruitingclassesorpoliciesthatwill
lowerthemurderrateandviolentcrime.Oncethebudgetis
settledandapprovedbytheboardofpolicecommissionersand
councilmembers,themoneyistheirsandtheycanspendithowever
theywant.The$42millionwasnotremoved;itwassetasideto
figureouthowtosolveviolentcrime,etc.Thebillaswritten
doesnotachievewhatitwantstoachieve,whichistocodifythe
holdinginSpink,whichisthecasefrom1955.Crimeisoftena
symptomofpoverty. Themoneyshouldbereallocatedtoreducing povertybecausethatmighthaveagreatimpactonreducingcrime.
Thisdoesn’tmakeyouantipolice.
TestifyingagainstthebillwereCityofKansasCity;Greater
KansasCityChamber;andMalloryRusch,EmpowerMissouri.
OTHERS:Otherstestifyingonthebillsay,ifthemoneyhadnot
beenrestored,thepolicedepartmentwouldhavehadtolayoff480+
officers. Therehasnotbeenaclearplanonwhatthe$42million
wouldhavebeenspenton;94%ofthebudgetissalary.Thebudget
lastyearwas$223million. Theytooka$17millionbudgetcut
lastyear.Theyarewelloverthenationalaverageasfaras
clearinghomicides. Theyclear68%andthenationalaverageis
54%.Ifthepolicedepartmenthadbeenfullystaffed,they’dhave
1412officers. Theyaredownover300officers. Theworkload
continuestogrowwithfewerresources.
TestifyingonthebillwasRichardC.Smith,KansasCityMissouri
PoliceDepartment.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonycanbefoundunderTestimonyonthebillpageon
theHousewebsite.