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Kansas City Mayor Defends Reallocation Of Police Budget Amidst Lawsuit

Published June 3, 2021 at 6:55 AM CDT

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Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said the proposed reallocation of funds for the city's police department is "fundamentally about policing and how we can do better after years of status quo."

A Jackson County judge postponed a hearing in the lawsuit the Board of Police Commissioners has brought against the city to regain control of the money.

The ordinances passed by the city council would create a Community Services and a Prevention Fund which the city and police board can manage as well as add $3 million for a police recruit class. Mayor Lucas said the measures are to ensure transparency and that police department programs Kansas Citians care about continue to be funded.