By MARK WIEBE and ROBERT A. CRONKLETON
The Kansas City Star
While authorities investigated a racial complaint against Wyandotte county law enforcement agencies, county officials discovered a broader problem.
The countys Unified Government had no way to address complaints when they were leveled against both the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department and the Wyandotte County sheriffs office.
But Thursday night, the Unified Government Board of Commissioners corrected that flaw by approving a resolution that will, among other things, create a process to handle incidents where a complaint is filed against both agencies. Commissioners have given County Administrator Dennis Hays two weeks to come up with a proposed time frame on how to implement the resolution.
Such a complaint was lodged nearly four months ago when about 20 police officers and six deputies broke up a teenagers birthday party in the Turner area by allegedly using force, chemical spray, and racial and sexual slurs.
The resolution stems from a memorandum of understanding agreement that came about after Mayor Joe Reardon called the U.S. Department of Justices Community Relations Service to work with the community after the Turner incident.
The FBI has been investigating the Turner incident since an effort by local authorities stalled, but the Justice Departments involvement is unrelated to the FBI investigation.
The agreement was signed by various Unified Government officials, including the sheriff and the chief of police, as well as the head of the local NAACP and several pastors.
Among other things, the agreement recommends creating a new position a law enforcement legislative auditor who will oversee efforts to improve coordination between the sheriff and police departments. That person will also help improve relations between those departments and the countys diverse community.
The auditor will act as an independent reviewer of law enforcement policies and activities.
In addition, the Unified Government is to create a Joint Law Enforcement Advisory Board, which will replace the advisory boards that now oversee the police and sheriffs departments. The new board will also oversee the Wyandotte County Park Rangers.
The recommendations in the (memo), I think, will help strengthen relations between all parts of our community across racial and ethnic lines and with our law enforcement in Wyandotte County, Reardon said.
The Turner incident, Reardon added, sparked an effort by many to say, Lets take a look at law enforcement and community relations. Are there things that can make that better?
In a release issued before the meeting, Police Chief Ron Miller and Sheriff LeRoy Green expressed support for the resolution.
I am so excited that government and law enforcement, the NAACP and community leaders have come together to form a resolution that would allow entities to work together in unity, stamping out racism and prejudice, allowing the sheriff and police chief to work together to fight crime, Green said.
First glance
The Unified Government takes steps to help police and sheriffs departments work better with each other and with the community.
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