Kansas City, MO Chief of Police Rick Smith has continually hindered the investigation and prosecution of his officers for Excessive Use of Force by 1) cooperating with investigating agencies, 2) refusing to file probable cause statements against his officers because 3) he doesn’t believe his officers have done anything wrong, even though the Jackson County Prosecutor is actively trying to pursue charges against one or more KCPD officers for misconduct/police brutality/and violence. 

Currently, there are FIVE KCPD Police Officers under Indictment for Excessive Use of Force including one for Manslaughter yet, all of those officers are still employed by the City of Kansas City, MO Police Department. 

Our KCMO communities cannot and should not trust a police department with a Chief who refuses to hold his own officers accountable for their behavior but instead, forcefully works to protect violent police officers. 

Additionally, instead of writing citations, Chief Smith ordered the tear-gassing of hundreds of peaceful protesters simply because they went past curfew in a public park by a mere 30 minutes. Children, the elderly, the disabled, Street Medics and even residents in the area were subjected to the dangerous chemicals of tear gas canisters at an excessive amount that should never be deployed by a local police department, simply in an effort to disperse peaceful protesters from a public space. 

KCPD Chief Rick Smith needs to resign or be removed from his position as the Chief of the Kansas City Police Department. He can never gain the confidence or trust needed to move forward and heal the systemic and historic abuses of the Kansas City, MO Police Department against Black, Brown and poor people in our city. 

Please sign the petition. Remove KCPD Chief Rick Smith. Begin the reform so desperately needed within the local Kansas City, MO criminal justice system and police force from the top down. Your voice matters.