Police hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in Kansas City, Missouri

| Police hiring, training, and discipline |
|---|
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This page provides an overview of policies related to the hiring, training, and discipline of police officers in Kansas City, Mo. It is part of an analysis of police union collective bargaining agreements and related arrangements with police unions concerning hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in the 50 states and top 100 cities by population.
Background
Ballotpedia in 2023 examined the collective bargaining agreements, statutes, and regulatory codes governing the 50 states and the top 100 US cities by population through the lens of a series of research questions related to police hiring, training, and discipline.
Some of the hiring, training, and discipline standards for police officers not established by statutes or regulations arise from negotiations with police unions. Those negotiations are often codified in collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). Those agreements are the contracts that states and cities sign following negotiations with police unions. Some states and cities restrict collective bargaining, but may still negotiate with police unions using other methods. After negotiating with the unions, those jurisdictions sometimes establish police standards through documents including memoranda of understanding or meet and confer agreements.
Results
The tables below link to each question Ballotpedia used to analyze the states and cities and indicate how Kansas City handles police hiring, training, and discipline. To see the provisions Ballotpedia used to support these results, click here.
CBA basics
| CBA basics | Results |
|---|---|
| Is there a CBA with the police union? | YES |
| Is the current CBA publicly available online? | NO |
Discipline and accountability
| Discipline and accountability | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA forbid the transfer or reassignment of an officer as a form of discipline? | NO |
| Do officers have a right to request third-party arbitration for grievances, including over disciplinary actions? | NO |
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to discipline for misconduct? | YES |
Primary discipline authority: City of Kansas City, Police Department; Types: Suspension, demotion, termination; Restricted aspects: N/A; Challenge/appeal process: Union grievance procedure.Chief shall designate a major as coordinator of discipline. Employee has right to union representation during interview that could end in disciplinary action.Employee shall be notified at least 24 hours before such an interview. The coordinator can issue discipline up to a 5 day suspension without pay. Anything beyond this must be reviewed and affirmed by the chief or designee. | |
| Does the CBA explicitly allow for a state ombudsman outside particular police departments to hold law enforcement officers accountable for misconduct? | NO |
Legal limitations or provisions
| Legal limitations or provisions | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the city CBA prohibit felons from becoming law enforcement officers? | NO |
| Are there any statutes or regulations that prohibit collective bargaining with police unions? | NO |
Training and counseling
Community relations and oversight
| Community relations and oversight | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA reference citizen review boards? | NO |
| Does the CBA have provisions related to community policing? | NO |
Investigations
| Investigations | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to misconduct investigations? | YES |
Investigative procedure and disciplinary procedure | |
| Does the CBA require notice to officers of investigations? | YES |
Conditions: Written notification; Timeline: N/A; Content: Must include the nature of the violation and individual or agency conducting the investigation | |
| Does the CBA determine a timeline for investigations? | YES |
Timeline to launch: N/A; Timeline to conclude: Disciplinary coordinator has 5 days to review and conclude investigation. | |
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to compensation during misconduct investigations? | YES |
Leave may be paid or unpaid; if it is unpaid and officer is cleared, backpay may be issued. | |
Evidence and records
| Evidence and records | Results |
|---|
Qualifications and evaluation
| Qualifications and evaluation | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA require performance evaluations? | NO |
| Does the CBA restrict licensing procedures for law enforcement officers or departments? | NO |
Union authority
| Union authority | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA limit union authority to pay and benefits issues? | NO |
| Does the CBA give the union the power to approve or disapprove new training programs for law enforcement officers? | NO |
| Does the CBA have provisions involving the union in the process for promotions, unit assignments, and transfers? | NO |
City has sole and exclusive right to hire, assign, promote, transfer | |
See also
Footnotes
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