Mayor Lucas, civil rights leaders denounce proposal to remove KCPD residency requirement | Information

By Last updated May 10, 2021

KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) – A bill to remove the KCPD’s residency requirements was submitted to a conference committee Tuesday morning.

The draft law SB 53 is part of a reform package of the Senate last week. It includes a number of police reforms and changes to the requirement that officers live within the boundaries of Kansas City.

If passed, the bill would allow officials to live in Kansas City within 30 minutes.

Mayor Quinton Lucas denounced the effort – the state’s second in its tenure – and said it would widen the gap between officials and their communities.

“What use is it if you drive 30 minutes to work?” he said during a press conference on Monday. “What good is it if you are less invested in the community?”

Lucas spoke next to Dr. Vernon Howard, President of the Greater Kansas City Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Howard has also fought the bill.

“We will continue to fight for the civil and human rights of all people.

Police unions have supported the elimination of residency requirements, arguing that they make it difficult to recruit and retain officials.

The fraternal police force declined to comment on KCTV5 on Monday, saying it was too early in the legislative process to weigh up.

Lucas said he doesn’t think the residency requirements make recruiting a challenge. He called the bill “a wolf in sheep’s clothing” and noted that many of the reforms buried in it, such as chokehold bans, are already banned by KCPD officers.

“”It’s antagonism at its worst and I don’t think it solves a recruiting problem, “Lucas said.

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