By Paul Thompson

Northeast News

The Kansas City, Missouri Police Department’s ambitious Hispanic Citizen Police Academy has been shelved after failing to attract participants.

KCPD had planned a series of courses and presentations over the course of three consecutive Saturdays (June 9, 16 and 23) that was scheduled to culminate with a graduation and reception on Saturday, June 23. Partners in the endeavor included the Mexican Consulate, Guadalupe Center, Kansas City Public Schools, Mattie Rhodes Center, and a plethora of Historic Northeast stakeholders. The multi-week event was to be hosted by St. Anthony Parish (318 Benton Blvd.) in the Historic Northeast.

The first day was supposed to feature an in-depth, four-hour course-load with opening comments from Chief of Police Rick Smith, followed by information about KCPD Community Interaction Officers (CIO) and social workers, and concluding with presentations from CIO coordinator Jason Cooley and Northeast neighborhood associations.

There was only one problem: nobody showed up.

Chato Villalobos, a KCPD officer stationed at the Westside CAN Center, remained shell-shocked in the days following the planned event.

“I have no idea what the issues were. I don’t know that I’ve even had the time to process it,” Villalobos said. “I’m just kind of hoping that people woke up in the morning and said, ‘This is a beautiful day to spend with my family.’”

For Villalobos, the cause is personal. He’s been working with Kansas City’s Spanish-speaking population on the west side for more than a decade, and he knows what it feels like to grow up in a home with an uncertain immigration status. If fear was a deciding factor in the academy’s failure, Villalobos understands.

“I do understand the anxieties of immigrants; I lived it,” Villalobos said. “I remember back when I was a kid; that was a legit concern for me. My parents were undocumented when I was born. I remember being 12, 13, 14 years old and wondering if my parents were going to be there when I got home.”

Chief Smith remains proud of the department’s efforts to reach out to Kansas City’s Spanish-speaking population, and promised to continue such efforts in a conversation with the Northeast News following the event. During the event itself, he delivered a message of resolve to stakeholders.

“Hold your head high; we’re doing the right thing here,” Smith said of his message to project partners. “Not every investigation pans out, and not every community event is going to be perfect.”

With federal authorities such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vigorously enforcing U.S. immigration laws throughout the country, Smith conceded that fear remains an impediment to KCPD’s outreach efforts.

“People are still afraid to come,” he said.

The academy’s lack of attendance was tough for the stunned organizers to stomach.

“I would say there was a genuine sadness that we didn’t get the opportunity to spend time together,” said Cooley. “A lot of partners worked together on this project.”

Conversations with KCPD officials in the aftermath of the setback revealed an earnestness in the department’s outreach efforts, along with questions about the best path forward.

“As part of the reevaluation phase, we’ve got to look more at time and season. There are outside influences right now that are completely outside of our control,” Cooley said. “No ill will is harbored at all. We’re always open and accessible and available.”

The implications of the cancellation aren’t lost upon KCPD’s event organizers. They know there’s a vital need to make connections with the Hispanic community in Kansas City, and they want every resident under their purview to have faith that the law enforcement system is working for them, regardless of immigration status.

“We want that community to be safe, and we want them to know that they have a voice with the police department,” Cooley said. “If they have an emergency, we want them to know that they can call 9-1-1 and that we will come help. There’s no side agenda.”

So where does KCPD go from here? They aren’t quite sure yet. There has been talk of organizing a more family-friendly event, featuring activities for kids, instead of the regimented structure of the planned citizen’s academy. Might Hispanic residents ask more questions if law enforcement manned booths at such an event, rather than organizing an informational meeting in a classroom setting?

The answers to those questions aren’t readily available, but KCPD knows that it has been put on notice: they have work yet to do to foster a better relationship with Kansas City’s Hispanic community.

“We understand that we have to gain their trust,” Villalobos said. “Hopefully, people feel that our department is behind them. If they live, work and play in our community, then they have right to feel safe in our community.”

In the meantime, Smith isn’t about to let one setback define the department’s policies moving forward.

“We absolutely did the right thing,” Smith said. “We provided the environment, and we’ll continue to do that.”