Kansas City's new crime lab won't be as big as the Police department hoped, but the mayor is still calling it a victory.
The city council stopped about $6 million short of funding the construction of the full 71,000 square foot crime lab police wanted.
Finance chair Jan Marcason said that just wasn't in the financial cards — that the only way to pay for the added expense would be to reduce the number of police officers. That wasn't acceptable to anyone, but the cutback was more than some feared
The new facility will still double the lab space the department has, and Mayor Sly James emphasized that it is the largest amount the city has ever spent on a police facility, and is in an area of the city that has been neglected.
“It is time that we made investment in that part of town. This is a big investment, and with a four-block footprint, it's going to say, 'this is a big investment',” the James said.
In total, the council approved a $78 million bond package, which will not only cover the remainder of the cost for the police campus, but also underwrites the construction of the Swope Park youth soccer complex and projects in East Village, Columbus Park, Municipal Auditorium and the City Market.
