Office of Community Complaints working to increase visibility

In the midst of protests calling for criminal justice reform, there is already an independent agency responsible for looking into allegations of police misconduct, which has now been thrust into the spotlight.

That money will come from.Sarah Plake 41 action news.CALLING FOR CHANGE --ON HOW OFFICERS AREHELD ACCOUNTABLE WHENPEOPLE IN THE PUBLICFILE A COMPLAINT AGAINSTONE.THERE'S AN INDEPENDENTAGENCY RESPONSIBLEFOR LOOKING INTOALLEGATIONS OF POLICEMISCONDUCT THAT'S BEENTHRUST IN THESPOTLIGHT.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER ANDRESGUTIERREZ SHARES SOMEOF THE CHANGES BEINGPUT IN PLACE.I'm calling regarding theconcerns about the treatmentof kansas city protesters andthe police departmenHUNDREDS OF CALLS ANDE-MAILS HAVE FLOODEDTHE OFFICE OCOMMUNITY COMPLAINTSAS KANSAS CITY MISSOURIIS NOW ON IT'S SEVENTHDAY OF PROTESTS.Merrell Bennekin/Executivedirector,The Office of CommunityComplaints/We work directly for theKansas city board of policecommissioners we do notwork for the Kansas andMissouri police department.MERRELL BENNEKINOVERSEES THE OFFICETHAT'S EXISTED FOR MORTHAN 50 YEARS, BUT NOT ALOT OF PEOPLE KNEWABOUT IT UNTIL THISWEEK.Mayor Quinton Lucas/Kansas City,Missouri/There's a way in which thatcomplaint can get reviewedthat complaint will be reviewedindependently, as Iunderstand it.Merrell Bennekin/Executivedirector,The Office of CommunityComplaints/we determine whether or notyou want to have yourcomplaint mediated or gothrough the formalinvestigationCOMMUNITY COMPLAINTSARE FIRST CLASSIFIEDUNDER THESE SIXCATEGORIES.IT'S THEN UP TO K-C-P-D'SINTERNAL AFFAIRS UNIT TOGATHER INFORMATIONOVER AN ALLEGEDINCIDENT.Merrell Bennekin/Executivedirector,The Office of CommunityComplaintsThey are merely the group ofindividuals that assemble theinformation for the case filesat all times.

We are in controlof the case files, theinformation that goes into it.Ifwe need additionalinformation, we have noproblem obtaining it or gettingitHOWEVER, IN RECENTDAYS ACTIVISTS BELIEVEINTERNAL AFFAIRSSHOULDN'T PLAY A ROLEAT ALL IN THE PROCESS.Gwen Grant/Urban League ofGreater Kansas City/"Let's talk about rebuilding toffice of communitycomplaints//I'm not talking tosomebody who obstructs mesomebody who supresses mewho does not respect me andmy community"PRIOR TO THEDEMONSTRATIONS, DATA41 ACTION NEWSOBTAINED SHOWS THAT ASOF APRIL THERE WERE 17LESS COMPLAINTS YEARTO DATE.ON THURSDAY--THE BOARD OF POLICECOMISSIONERSANNOUNCED NEWOVERSIGHT MEASURES OFK-C-P-D........INCLUDING ALL MAJORUSE-OF-FORCECOMPLAINTS WILL BEREVIEWED BY AN OUTSIDEAGENCY LIKE THE FBI.......AND THERE WILL BEWHISTLEBLOWERPROTECTIONS FOROFFICERS WHO REPORTANY MISCONDUCT TO THEOFFICE OF COMMUNITYCOMPLAINTS.Merrell Bennekin/Executivedirector,The Office of CommunityComplaintsWe're going to every tool atour disposal at this point, tomake sure that we canremedy some of thesesituations that have beebrought to our attention andrest assured if we Don't get itright, we will continue to worto improve those systems andprocessesANDRES GUTIERREZ, 41ACTION NEWS.TODAY THE JACKSONCOUNTY PROSECUTOR'SOFFICE LAUNCHED THISWEB PAGE WHERE PEOPLCAN REPORT ANY POLICEMISCONDUCT OREXCESSIVE USE OF FORCEWE HAVE A LINK TO IT ONOUR WEBSITE K-S-H-B