Kansas City, Missouri, SWAT officers have filed a lawsuit in an attempt to recover overtime compensation they say they are owed.
According to the suit, a captain named Mark Heimer instituted a policy in which the members of a tactical response team received "flextime" when they worked more than 40 hours a week. Flextime did not accumulate at time and a half and had to be taken within a few days of the overtime period. That's BS, say the officers.
The plaintiffs -- James Carmody, Marcus Davis and Robert Vivona -- say that officers assigned to other tactical teams were recognized for their overtime with larger paychecks, not comp time. The suit states that an internal investigation had concluded that they had been improperly denied overtime compensation as far back as 2006. But apparently the recognition of this fact did come with dollar signs attached to it.
The number of plaintiffs may grow. The officers' lawyers hope to represent a class of "similarly situated employees."
The lawsuit provides a description of what the officers do, and it's pretty awesome.
Plaintiffs' duties generally included performing hostage rescues and counter-terrorism operations, serving high-risk arrest and search warrants, subduing barricaded suspects, engaging heavily armed criminals, and providing additional security at special events.Yeah, that will play in front of a jury.
Filed Thursday, the suit names the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners and Heimer as defendants. Pat McInerney, the president of the police board, said he was aware of the suit but had no comment. "We generally don't talk about ongoing litigation," he says.
The police board is a Pendergast-era reform. The five commissioners are appointed by the governor.
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Kansas City residents share concerns about the proposed city budget....... here's some more concerns. Look where your tax dollars go. Just at KCPD.
Kansas City police commanders, lobbyist charge taxpayers for pricey meal and booze at Capital Grill. In all, Lewis and Stewart charged about $7,000 last year in meals, gas and other expenses for about 80 days' worth of work between them. They also charged about $5,000 for lodging. In 2009, they charged about $7,600 in meals and expenses and about $6,000 in lodging.
100 New Kansas City police cars sit idle in storage.
The Kansas City Police Department spent at least $2.1 million in the last 13 months to buy more than 100 vehicles that will take months — perhaps years — to fully deploy.
And some Kansas City Council members, still in the midst of their own budget crisis, are angry. Part of that money, they contend, might have helped keep officers on the streets instead of keeping idle cars in a garage for the future. “We know they need cars,” said Councilwoman Deb Hermann. “But we need things at the city, too.”
Police Board Criticizes KCPD Clearance Rate
2010 KCPD HOMICIDE CLEARANCE RATE PLUMMETS TO 41 percent. Kansas City Police Board members said they were disappointed with the low number of cases solved so far this year. — 40 out of 95 homicides. Kansas city is known as the ‘Kansas City Murder Factory’and a Documentary challenges community members
Kansas City Police Officer Accused of Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol While On Duty.
Officer Josette Young, a Kansas City Missouri Internal Affairs officer, which occurred with the disturbing note to this accident is that Officer Young was on duty at the time.
A detention officer for the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department has been charged with promoting prostitution.The Jackson County prosecutor charged Jacques A. Baker, 23, with promoting prostitution.
A veteran Kansas City police officer has been suspended without pay after he was charged with getting a teen drunk and sodomizing him.James R. Silke, 52, was charged Friday in Clay County Circuit Court with sexual assault.
A former Kansas City Police Department officer was awarded a judgment of $6.5 million Wednesday in his lawsuit against Kansas City and the Police Department.
Justice Dept. To Probe KCPD Hiring Practices
Having solved all of KC's problems, KCPD Detectives enforces jaywalking ..... I guess two people dying per week is ok, So we'll use detectives to catch jaywalking, and this happened to coincide with the NAACP's national conference in Kansas city.
The E-Tax is Dead folks.
KCPD is a ripoff. They wasted millions in tax dollars and have lost the confidence of the public.
Let's convert the positions to salaried like school teachers, take officers off the speed traps and red light cameras and make them SWAT to make up the hours and eliminate the lobbyists positions that are apparently costing the city jillions.
Man,,, breakin' down doors and tossin' "flash-bang" grenades 50 hours a week is HARD work.. ..
Hope Corwin doesn't plan on running for political office. He's showed how irresponsible he is with spending and hanging his officers out to dry. What a sad day to be a Kansas City Police Officer.
Your overtime pay went for Steak, Lobster and Champagne at the Capital Grille by your command staff. Quit stealing from the Taxpayers.
Dear Chief Corwin,
It is disappointing to hear of the events that have apparently transpired over the last few years. It is said that integrity is what you do when no one else is looking. You have now shown us what you and your commanders do when no one is looking.
It is unfortunate that your officers toil daily to keep the peace in our city. They look to the hill for that beacon of light for their guidance. That light of leadership is now extinguished. All the ethics and integrity that you are supposed to represent do not exist. As people die in the streets in record numbers, under your watch, you choose to take a raise and spend the taxpayer’s money. The city has lost its beacon of hope; all those in positions of leadership around you have sailed with you.
You have sunk the ship, now do the right thing and go down with it. To remain at the helm only invites further disaster.
Board of Police Commissioners- I applaud you bringing this to light. It is time for you to clean house. You were created to protect the department and the city from police corruption. It has now happened on your watch. If you hire another Police Chief from within the department you are only drawing from a contaminated well. This city needs and deserves to have its department led by a person of Courage, Honor and Integrity. Take your time to search the Nation for just such a person. I do not believe they exist in a leadership position on KCPD at this time.
KCPD is made up of valiant men and women who risk their lives to keep us safe. Please do the right thing and find them the leader they deserve.
Conscience
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