By Joe Jarosz
Northeast News
December 9, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Out with the old and in with the new.

Although the new Leon Mercer Jordan East Patrol Campus, 2640 Prospect Ave., opened Nov. 14., 2015, it officially opened to the public Tuesday, Dec. 1, with a ribbon cutting and tours of the crime lab and police station. The old station at 5301 E. 27th St. closed to the public on Nov. 12, 2015.

Interested residents were able to get a peak inside the 118,000-square-foot campus named in honor of slain civil rights leader Leon Mercer Jordan. Tours of the station included stops in the weight room, community room, a spacious gymnasium where the festivities were held and a computer lab. Although not officially ready, the crime lab was able to show off rooms that focused on DNA, biology, firearms and digital media.

So far, only commanders have moved into the new building. Detectives and remaining staff will move in after the first of the new year. Construction of the crime lab is in its final stages and is expected to open early next year. The new crime lab will replace the old lab located at 66th Street and Troost Avenue. The crime lab also holds the distinction of being one of only seven labs in the country to be accredited in eight disciplines by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors-Laboratory Accreditation Board.

The $74 million development — which took about two years to build and was originally budgeted at $50.5 million — was paid for by the city’s quarter-cent public safety sales tax and bond sales. Third District Councilman Jermaine Reed was one of many representing the city to speak at the ribbon cutting, talking about the impact Leon Jordan had on the community and the hurdles the city had to overcome to complete this project. He noted the surrounding area can expect to see a new family center being built by the Morning Star church soon, as well as a new grocery store at Linwood and Prospect and expanded bus service along Prospect Avenue.

“We’re replacing blight and making changes in this community,” Reed said.

The new site covers17 acres from 26th and 27th Streets from Brooklyn to Prospect Avenues. Construction required the relocation of about 60 residents, demolition of 66 buildings and clearing out 140 trees. Reed didn’t gloss over that fact, saying the plans were met with a lot of controversy. It took just over a year to acquire all the land necessary.

“I am thankful for those who sacrificed for this campus and I’m impressed with how this community worked together,” Reed said.

While highlighting the significance of naming the building after Jordan, Reed also pointed out that one of the community rooms in the new station highlights the history of African-American police officers, a portion of which is dedicated to the life of Jordan, a black detective on the Kansas City Police Department in the 1950s who co-founded the African-American political club Freedom Inc. in 1962.

“The community room is a source of pride,” Reed said.

While giving tours, Sgt. Cory LeMoine told residents East Patrol officers feel like they’ve won the lottery with their new facility. The old station was originally built as a radio station for dispatching police and city crews. Over time, the building was retrofitted as a police station and remodeled to fit East Patrol’s needs. The new location offers a computer lab that will be open to community members who do not have computer access at home, as well as a gymnasium that is also expected to be used by the community.

“This is an incredible facility,” LeMoine said.