Kansas City Police Chief lays out potential budget cuts created by COVID-19 outbreak

Kansas City Police Chief lays out potential budget cuts created by COVID-19 outbreak

AS CHIEF RICK SMITH TODAY LAYINGOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF SEEING NOMORE POLICE OFFICERS OR POLICECARS HERE AT CENTRAL PATROLPOTENTIALLY CONSOLIDATING ITWITH ANOTHER STATION OF BUDGETCUTS GO THROUGH.HE ALSO SAID 400 POSITIONS COULDBE ELIMINATED AND THE REST OFTHE APARTMENT STAFF WOULD HAVETO TAKE TO WEEK FURLOUGH.THIS ALL COMES IN A TIME WHEREFUNDING FOR POLICE IS A MAJORPOINT OF DISCUSSION ACROSS THECOUNTRY NOW, KANSAS CITY MAYORQUINTON LUCAS DOES NOT BELIEVEKCPD NEEDS TO CUT POSITIONS ORPATROL STATION INSTEAD.HE BELIEVES THERE’S OVERLAPBETWEEN SERVICES KCPD IS ALREADYDOING AND THINGS LIKE IT ANDBUILDING MAINTENANCE AND WHATCITY DEPARTMENTS COULD PROVIDETHE POLICE DEPARTMENT.HE SAYS HE’S WAITING TO SEE AFORMAL PROPOSAL FROM KCPD.I’M ON THE BOARD OF POLICECOMMISSIONER’S AND SO I IMAGINEI’LL BE PRIVY TO THATINFORMATION AT SOME POINT, BUT IWOULD HOPE THAT OVER THE SIXMONTHS WE ALL GET TOGETHER ON ACOLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO HOW WECAN ADDRESS THE FINANCINGISSUES.I’LL STILL A LOT OF DISCUSSIONTO BE HAD ON THESE POTENTIALPROPOSALS VOTE C