Community policing pivotal in receiving grant

Kansas City, Mo., Police budget commanders have announced that the department’s commitment to community policing was a major factor in receiving an $8.3 million stimulus grant in July.

Kansas City Police ranked ninth on the Crime and Community Policing Index percentile out of the 7,272 law enforcement agencies who applied for Community-Oriented Policing Services Hiring Recovery Program money, as ranked by the U.S. Department of Justice. KCPD’s overall ranking in the grant application evaluation was 99.4 percent, the highest in Missouri and 38th in the nation.

“These rankings are a testament to the excellent reputation of the (department) and the extraordinary efforts of our members, especially in the areas of community policing and problem solving,” Chief James Corwin said.

The Department of Justice’s COPS Office analyzed the grant applications using a 50/50 split between fiscal need and reported crime/community policing activities. The grant allowed KCPD to retain the 27 recent graduates of the Police Academy who would otherwise have been laid off due to city budget cuts. The grant also will pay to hire up to 23 more officers during the next three years. KCPD anticipates 72 law enforcement positions will be vacant by the end of 2009.

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