By Leslie Collins
Northeast News
May 25, 2011

After seven years as Kansas City’s police chief, Jim Corwin is retiring. Corwin announced his upcoming retirement during the May 17 Kansas City Missouri Board of Police Commissioners meeting. Corwin will retire Sept. 16, 2011.

Police commissioners aren’t limiting the search for a new chief to local candidates.

“The idea is to make this a nationwide search and find the single best, most qualified candidate,” said Pat McInerney, police board president.

Police commissioners are also seeking public input on what Kansas Citians want in a new chief. Once they post the job and begin receiving applications, the board will host a public forum to receive community input.

Neighborhood association presidents weigh in

Lee Lambert, president of the Independence Plaza Neighborhood Association, said he first met Corwin when Corwin worked as a major at East Patrol.

“He was a pretty good major. He was one of the better majors out there,” Lambert said. “One of the things I liked about him was he continued the community policing and he continued to support community policing when he became chief.

“Hopefully in the new chief we’ll get somebody that’s interested in community policing and working with the community.”

Asked what crime issues he’d like to see addressed, Lambert said prostitution, street drug dealers and vacant house break-ins.

Ron Heldstab, president of the Lykins Neighborhood Association, said he’d also like to see the new chief concentrate on community policing and have better communication with neighborhood associations and residents.

For Kent Dicus, president of the Pendleton Heights Neighborhood Association, that communication already exists.

“I thought Corwin did a good job and he showed up at our neighborhood meetings from time to time. From what he told me, he was very supportive of our police force and of course, security in the Northeast area,” Dicus said.

As for the new chief, Dicus wants a strong leader and “no nonsense” type of person who isn’t afraid to enforce violations and dish out fines.

“I want a chief who believes in three things – community policing, proactive policing and local control,” said David Remley, president of the Indian Mound Neighborhood Association.

Application timeline

McInerney said the job posting will remain open for 30 days and then commissioners will narrow down the candidate pool.

Finalists will then participate in a public meeting, where Kansas Citians can ask them questions about their views on community policing, public safety and other topics.

“We’re all stakeholders in this,” McInerney said. “We’re looking to increase the amount of public input because we know people are intensely interested in what the police department does and nobody is more symbolic than the police chief in the police department’s role in the city.”

Following the question and answer session with the public, the board will conduct private interviews with the finalists, McInerney said.

“I think Corwin has really redefined the role and set the bar really high, especially in terms of communicating with everybody in the city,” McInerney said. “I think we’re looking to continue that tradition.

“We’re looking for someone who has the tools to lead a major city law enforcement organization. We’re looking for someone who has outstanding communication skills, someone who is willing to be innovative with the department and work closely with the city, work closely with the school district and work closely with the county.

“It’s really not a compartmentalized job and it can’t be – not to do it effectively in 2011 and beyond.”