By Paul Thompson

Northeast News

October 25, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – Why should Kansas City, Missouri Police Department officers receive smaller raises over the next five years than employees from other city departments?

That was the question asked by KCPD Chief of Police Darryl Forte and Kansas City, Missouri Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #99 President Brad Lemon in separate missives issued on Monday, October 24. Forte’s blog post and Lemon’s statement posted on the F.O.P.’s web site criticized the city’s Five-Year Citywide Business Plan, which calls for lower raises for KCPD personnel over the next several years than for any other city department. The Five-Year Citywide Business Plan is scheduled to be voted on by the full City Council when they meet on Thursday, October 27.

In his post, Forte noted that city employees from other departments are scheduled to receive raises between 2.5% and 4.7% in each of the next three years, while KCPD personnel are only slated for 2% raises in each year over the same time period.

“The members of our department deserve equal pay treatment with the employees of other City services,” wrote Forte.

Forte also reiterated in the blog post that KCPD has already been forced to eliminate more than 200 law enforcement and non-sworn positions in order to stay within the department’s budget.

“Despite these efforts to ensure police are not taking an outsize portion of the City budget, it appears the police department is slated to receive the lowest raises of any City services over the next three years,” lamented Forte.

Forte added that the department already faces challenges when it comes to drawing and retaining qualified personnel to a bustling urban police department. As staff workloads and violent crime continue to increase in the city, Forte warned that the pay raise imbalance in the city could “negatively impact police morale and employee retention.”

Lemon expressed similar concerns in his own statement, writing that the Five-Year Citywide Business Plan could have “devastating consequences” for both the department and the people of Kansas City. Reached for comment on Tuesday, October 25, Lemon expressed frustration with the relationship between police officers and the city.

“We don’t get to bargain as an organization with the city,” said Lemon. “Because of that, there’s no desire and no need for the city to feel like they need to sit down and try to figure out how to keep police officers.”

KCPD leaders have previously expressed optimism that a police department staffing study approved by the City Council will eventually lead to an increase in funding for the KCPD. In his statement, Lemon cited the Chicago Police Department’s recent announcement that it would hire 500 new officers as evidence that other departments are already being empowered to combat the recent swell of violent crime. On Tuesday, Lemon conveyed doubt that the staffing study will necessarily lead to more support from the city.

“Studies are only as important as the people who are reading them and the people who are making decisions based on them,” Lemon said.

Over the course of his 25 years with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, Lemon said that he’s unaccustomed to seeing the morale of his fellow officers sink as low as it has in 2016. In his eyes, the proposed Five-Year Citywide Business Plan only adds to the problem.

“Morale is not good; it’s not good at all. Playing politics with police officers and their careers is just not the way to do business,” said Lemon. “Who else do you have to do this for you? It’s not like you can tap another resource to answer calls, to handle the warrants or go out to crime scenes and try to figure out who’s doing the crime.”

Despite his concerns, Lemon acknowledges that he’s felt strong support from some members of the City Council regarding the pay raise issue. Still, he cautioned that if the city proceeds with the Five-Year Citywide Business Plan in it’s current form, it could be devastating for the department.

“I think there’s a lot of support to open the discussion, but this is one of those deals where if this does get voted on, it’s going to cause serious issues within our membership,” said Lemon. “They’re going to feel that they don’t matter.”

Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Sly James issued a response to the concerns raised by Forte and Lemon in a blog post published on the evening of Tuesday, October 25. After stating his respect for Chief Forte and his commitment to the safety of Kansas City’s residents, James wrote about his administration’s efforts to support the police department. According to James, those efforts include 1) raising the department’s budget every year he’s been in office; 2) reaching a cooperative pension and salary agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police in 2013; and 3) dedicating 74% of the city’s General Fund to public safety.

“We absolutely have to maintain a top tier police department and my record shows my commitment to just that,” wrote James. “Continuing this will require the same cooperation, open communication, and shared vision of success that has made gains possible in recent years.”

Lemon said that he understood the points made by Mayor James, but countered that the department needs even more help as it works to attract the best and brightest candidates to serve Kansas City.

“At the end of the day, what’s important to look at is actually what we’re doing to attract and retain quality employees,” said Lemon. “That’s what the F.O.P is focused on.”