By MIKE RICE, The Kansas City Star
The police department that patrols Kansas City International Airport should not be put under the command of the Kansas City Police Department, according a feasibility study.
The study, released today, was scheduled to be discussed by the Kansas City Council this afternoon.
Kansas City commissioned the study last year after then-Councilwoman Teresa Loar lobbied for a change that would shift law-enforcement control at the airport from the Aviation Department to the Police Department.
But the study, done by a Bethesda, Md., consultant, determined that such a merger would be unnecessary and expensive.
The study said the airport police were in full compliance with all airport security mandates from the Transportation Security Administration and Federal Aviation Administration.
And several city, airport and police officials interviewed by the consultant said they had received no significant complaints about the airport police.
The study also concluded that a merger would result in having to find or build new facilities at the airport. And because the base salaries of Kansas City Police personnel are higher than those of the airport police, payroll would increase from $800,000 to $1.3 million.