Mayor Lucas’ 911 plan needs more support over next month
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mayor Quinton Lucas continues his push for a Unified 911 Call Center. It was talked about at both City Hall and police headquarters Tuesday.
His resolution was held in the Finance, Governance, and Public Safety Committee. It was discussed during a closed session of the Board of Police Commissioners (BoPC) Tuesday. It may be discussed publicly during the BoPC meeting in August. Both the city council and the BoPC would have to sign off on the mayor’s plan.
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Mayor Lucas says he wants the auto-attendant system where you could press one for Police, two for fire, and three for EMS, implemented soon. The numbers for each of those departments aren’t set in stone. Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) Public Information Officer Alayna Gonzalez says the abandoned call back feature’s in effect for the department now. The auto-attendant is still being tested and is not in effect.
“I think the first thing that I want to make sure is clear to the Board of Police Commissioners even in the legislation here at City Hall recognizes that we need our State Board of Police Commissioners to agree to what it is we’re trying to do,” Mayor Lucas said in a media availability during the Finance Committee meeting Tuesday.
Mayor Lucas is one of five BoPC members. The other four, appointed by the Governor of Missouri, would not talk to FOX4 Tuesday. The Mayor’s resolution directs City Manger Brian Platt to create a Unified 911 Dispatch system that’s under the city’s control. Right now, the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), coordinates the technology and equipment KCPD uses.
MARC did not comment on camera Tuesday, but their Director of Finance and Administration Carol Gonzales, spoke to FOX4 on the phone and responded to our emails. Gonzales said the average wait duration for somebody dialing 911 in the city in June of 2024 was 48 seconds. In June of 2022, it was 27 seconds.
“Sometimes I express frustration, and I think the people of Kansas City would say the same,” Mayor Lucas said Tuesday when asked if his proposal would be a break-away from MARC. “When they call 911, they want somebody to just answer that call. What they don’t want to do is hear that there is a Board of Police Commissioners, and then there is a Mid-America Regional Council, and then after all of those groups get together, and the public safety group of the Mid-America Regional Council, then perhaps we have an answer for you.”
Besides getting the support from his fellow BoPC Members, Mayor Lucas also needs the support of his fellow City Council members.
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“I will support whatever is the most efficient and delivers the quickest response times for folks,” Council Member and Finance Committee Member Crispin Rea said. “That’s what we’re going to have to understand and learn about when we start talking about this in committee.”
The Mayor’s resolution will be discussed again at the Finance Committee meeting Tuesday, Aug. 6 at 10:30 a.m.
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