Editorials and other Opinion content offer perspectives on issues important to our community and are independent from the work of our newsroom reporters.
When allegations surfaced that Kansas City Police Department officials routinely withheld evidence in criminal cases and willfully violated Missouri’s open records law, it was hardly the first time the department’s policing came under criticism. Even so, these claims of maleficence from a department insider raise serious and fundamental questions about the Kansas City police, from their approach to justice and fairness to the way they engage with the public.
On Tuesday, the Board of Police Commissioners gave the go-ahead to hiring a law firm to investigate the whistleblower’s allegations against former interim Chief Joseph Mabin and General Counsel Holly Dodge.
We welcome the outside investigation into claims made by the police department’s former assistant general counsel Ryan McCarty, whose scathing eight-page open letter and accompanying attachment of emails and other correspondence among police officials should be taken seriously.
McCarty emailed his whistleblower letter to several law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal level, including the Jackson County Prosecutor’s office and the U.S. Department of Justice.
McCarty alleged that Dodge illegally withheld evidence from defense attorneys in criminal cases. He also claimed that Dodge’s office “consistently, systematically and unlawfully” violated...
Armenian Genocide anniversary: false rumours Today, 24 April, marks the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. As every year, thousands of people are walking since the morning to the Tsitsern...