Star Names Police Chief Fort’e ‘Newsmaker of the Year’ January 3, 2015

As usual Friday morning, Darryl Forté wasn’t behind his desk at 12th and Locust streets.

The Kansas City police chief was cruising the East Side in an ongoing effort to demonstrate that police are committed to a larger presence there.

By many measures, 2014 was a banner year for the city’s first black police chief as he charted a new way forward. Homicides were down to their lowest level in 42 years. Property crimes — burglary, stealing, car theft — dropped too.

His involvement with area law enforcement agencies aimed at cracking down on the most violent offenders is producing results. Forté-led initiatives that analyze crime trends and focus on areas hardest hit are paying off.

Forté estimates he spent at least half his year outside police headquarters cruising the streets, checking in with residents and forging partnerships with a community long suspicious of anything cop. That’s new too.

When protesters marched in Kansas City in response to Ferguson, Mo., Forté’s department met with movement leaders ahead of time. Then his officers did something else. They offered marchers rides back to their cars at evening’s end.

“We knew they were tired,” Forté said.

New thinking is making a difference. For all these reasons, Forté is the Kansas City area newsmaker of the year.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/local-columnists/article5347191.html#storylink=cpy

Forte Predicts Unpopular Decisions Coming Soon December 5, 2014

Kansas City police Chief Darryl Forte says he’s about to make some unpopular decisions.
Forte announced that Thursday when accepting the ‘Difference Maker ‘ award from the Kansas City Chapter of the Urban League.
“I’m going to make some decisions that some people won’t understand”, Forte said. He did not elaborate.
He did say he brought it up to a room full of Kansas City opinion makers because he may need their support.
“You get a room full of people, they can make a huge difference. And I’m going to use that momentum to do something on the police department,” the chief said.
Forte went on to say the Kansas City police department only has one African American captain. Captains earn the rank through a process and their performance on a test, according to the chief.
Forte says he wants to be able to appoint capitian because that’s the first line of the police department management
He believes he should have the right to pick his management team.

KC Police Chief Supports State Control for KCPD, No Change Needed September 4, 2013

Kansas City Police Chief Darryl Forte says the Kansas City Police Department should remain as it is, under state control.
Forte broke his silence on the issue of local control with along piece he posted late Tuesday on his blog on the KCPD website.
“Our form of governance has served the people of Kansas City well for generations'” Forte wrote in the blog statement.
“It shields their police from corruption, fosters accountability and provides the most professional service possible. Our department’s model of governance should be perpetuated for generations to come,” he said.
The Kansas City department is the only one in the nation now governed by State control. The city of St. Louis took over its department this month, after a statewide vote approved the change. Kansas City Mayor Sly James appointed a citizens panel to look at the issue of state versus local control earlier this year.
Forte maintains that distinction, of being the only state controlled department, can be good.
“Being unique isn’t a negative thing,” according to the chief.
Forte says the present system works. He noted that the Governor appoints members of the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners. that Board automatically includes the Mayor.
He says many local state officials routinely recommend nominees to the board and the State Senate votes to confirm them.
“Everyone who is in control of the police department lives in Kansas City, Mo.,” Forte maintains.
The Chief says the present system has been largely scandal free.
-The Chief says the state controlled police department has a layer of protection from politician influence from City Hall.
-Forte says the city does controL the Police Dept. budget, even under state control.he notes the Police submit a budget to the City Council like every other department. The Council, not the state, allocates city money.
-Forte also maintains the claim local control could save taxpayer dollars is not true. He claims some state money the department now receives could be lost.
“Our form of governance has served the people of Kansas City well for generations. It shields their police from corruption, fosters accountability and provides the most professional service possible,” wrote the Chief.

KC Police Chief Stonewalls & Tweets I was “Rude” June 13, 2012

Watch this story about Wednesday’s encounter with Kansas City Police Chief Darryl Forte:

Click here to read the entire story.

KC Police Command Shake-Up Underway as Forte Takes Over, Says “Gravy Train” Is Over for Some October 13, 2011

Kansas City’s new Police Chief Darryl Forte is shaking up the Police Command Staff.

In an edition of the ‘Daily Informant’, a police department newsletter, the changes are outlined.

Forte is promoting Jerry Gallagher, Patty Higgins and Randall Hundley to Deputy Chief.

Forte told reporters at his swearing-in ceremony Thursday he was eliminating four captains positions and making more than 50 changes in command staffing.

The transfers and promotions take effect Sunday, October 16.

Forte told reporters some, but not all of the people involved, are happy with the changes.

He told KMBZ radio, “There have been some people who have been on the gravy train for a long time and they’re no longer on the gravy train.”

Forte would not get specific. “I think they know why I did what I did.”

The new Chief says there will be a private meeting with the command staff and some supervisors Friday.

Forte plans to concentrate some of the Police Department’s forces on four unidentified hot spots of crime.

“I’m not going to tell you the specific target spots because criminals don’t tell you in advance where they’re going to strike.

He says early next week the changes discussed on Friday will be gradually put into place.

Here are the promotions  and  transfers as listed in the  news letter:

PROMOTIONS: To Deputy Chief:Jerry Gallagher Patty Higgins Randall Hundley To Major: Ronald Fletcher Sharon Laningham Karl Oakman James Pruetting, assigned as Executive Officer, Chief’s Office To Manager: Tamy Gallagher To Captain: Joseph Crayon TRANSFERS   NAME TRANSFERRING FROM TRANSFERRING TO Deputy Chief (t) Jerry Gallagher Facilities Management and Construction Division Executive Services Bureau Deputy Chief (t) Patty Higgins Research and Development Division Professional Development and Research Bureau Deputy Chief (t) Randall Hundley Violent Crimes Division Investigations Bureau Deputy Chief Kevin Masters Investigations Bureau Administration Bureau Deputy Chief Cheryl Rose Administration Bureau Patrol Bureau Director Rick Brisbin Professional Development & Research Bureau Director of Special Projects, Chief’s Office Director Nick Nichols Executive Officer, Chief’s Office Human Resources Division Director Doug Weishar Human Resources Division Community Support Division,Investigations Bureau Manager (t) Tamy Gallagher Private Officers Licensing Section Private Officers Licensing Unit Major Rosilyn Allen Special Operations Division Research and Development Division Major Vincent Cannon North Patrol Division Violent Crimes Division Major Anthony Ell East Patrol Division Staff Inspection Commander, Patrol Bureau Major (t) Ronald Fletcher Intelligence Unit East Patrol Division Major Melvin Harvey Night Commander Staff Inspection Commander, Patrol Bureau Major Randy Hopkins Executive Officer, Administration Bureau Narcotics and Vice Division Major Robin Houston South Patrol Division Fiscal Division Major (t) Sharon Laningham Capital Improvements Unit Facilities Management and Construction Division Major Philip Lawler Metro Patrol Division Executive Officer, Administration Bureau Major Rich Lockhart Shoal Creek Patrol Division Special Operations Division Major Diane Mozzicato Information Services Division Metro Patrol Division Major (t) Karl Oakman Employment Unit South Patrol Division Major Byron Price Professional Standards Division North Patrol Division Major (t) James Pruetting Internal Affairs Unit Executive Officer, Chief’s Office Major David Zimmerman Fiscal Division Shoal Creek Patrol Division Major Jan Zimmerman Narcotics and Vice Division Information Services Division Captain Scott Caron South Patrol Division W3 South Patrol Division W2 Captain Joseph Chapman South Patrol Division WI Robbery-Special Victims Unit Captain Michael Corwin Homeland Security/CSTAR Unit LE Resource Center Captain (t) Joseph Crayon South Patrol Division WI Metro Patrol Division WI Captain Gregory Dull North Patrol Division W2 Tactical Response Team 3, East Patrol Division Captain Natalina Ehlers Evidence Collection Unit, Regional Criminalistics Division Records Unit Captain Jeffrey Emery Records Unit Employment Unit Captain Mark Folsom Special Victims Unit Shoal Creek Patrol Division, W3 Captain Mark Francisco Research & Development Unit Internal Affairs Unit Captain Daniel Gates Enterprise Services, Training Division Homeland Security / CSTAR Unit Captain Scott Glaeser Training Unit Intelligence Unit Captain Mark Hatcher Off-Duty Employment Unit Central Patrol Division W3 Captain Jesse Holt Fleet Operations Unit Central Patrol Division W2 Captain Randall Jacobs Patrol Support Unit East Patrol Division W2 Captain Jeffrey Kleinow Metro Patrol Division W1 South Patrol Division WI Captain David Lindaman Patrol Video Unit Shoal Creek Patrol Division WI Captain John Mueller Tactical Response Team 2, Metro Patrol Division Training Unit Captain Kevin Murdock Traffic Investigation Unit Research and Development Unit Captain Kevin O’Sullivan South Patrol Division Watch 2 Patrol Support Unit Captain Michael Perne Tactical Response Team 3, East Patrol Division South Patrol Division, Watch 3 Captain Helen Schultz Shoal Creek Patrol Division W3 Evidence Collection Unit, Regional Criminalistics Division Captain Donald Sight Detention Unit Fleet Operations Unit Captain Rex Tarwater Youth Services Unit Detention Unit Captain Mark Terman Robbery Unit Property and Evidence Unit Captain James Thomas Central Patrol Division W2 Youth Services Unit Captain Karen True Central Patrol Division W3 North Patrol Division W2 Captain Roy True Shoal Creek Patrol Division W1 Tactical Response Team 2, Metro Patrol Division Captain Robert Zimmerman East Patrol Division W2 Traffic Investigation Unit