Jackson County officials thanked each other Thursday for the successful completion of a project to house Kansas City Police Department detainees on the ground floor of the county detention center.
County Executive Mike Sanders estimates the city will save up to $1 million annually using the Jackson County Detention Center rather than police headquarters to house detainees. The old detention center was in need of costly renovations to comply with American with Disabilities Act accessibility standards.
Even better, Sanders says the move will save police officers time they now spend transporting inmates.
"That's additionally the ability to interview witnesses, suspects and defendants under one room and the efficiencies that has for all residents of Kansas City," Sanders said.
Sanders says the move should also benefit inmates because the county can consolidate services under one roof.
"If you see what's going on around the United States, enough said, you see the importance of detainees, arrestees or inmates having access to 24 hour medical services on site when needed," he said.
Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Sly James jumped in with praise for Police Chief Darryl Forte.
"I believe Darryl Forte has been a godsend in terms of policing in this city and building relationships and trust in the community in a way that lessens the time and opportunity for us to become a headline on the national news for something tragic or bad," said James.
James also thanked Jean Peters Baker – he described her as a woman and a prosecutor for whom he has "unlimited respect" – for the many extra hours she puts in. Her efforts to look at crime from a regional perspective have received national recognition.
"Anyone who looks at Kansas City and believes it's busy as usual, you're not looking. You're not paying attention," says Peters Baker.
She says Kansas City has the same problem as other major urban areas, but city officials are doing everything they can to stay ahead of the curve. Peters Baker called the new detention center an example of that.
