Kansas City mayor asks state for help covering millions in police settlements

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Mayor Quinton Lucas asks the state for help paying lawsuit settlements involving the Kansas City police department.

The city just settled a lawsuit with Ricky Kidd for $14 million. Kidd served more than 20 years in prison for a double homicide he did not commit. Lucas said the settlement is the highest in Kansas City Police Department history.

The settlement happened less than two weeks after a $4.1 million settlement between KCPD and the family of Cameron Lamb. Former Kansas City detective Eric DeValkenaere shot and killed Lamb in his garage.

Lucas said other lawsuits involving Kansas City Police are pending.

According to the mayor, the large settlements are creating a burden on the police department’s budget. The $343 million approved to fund the department for the next year does not include the millions needed to pay out the settlements, according to Lucas.

“When City Council reviewed the budget, they deserved a reasonable estimate of anticipated liabilities facing Kansas City taxpayers from soon-to-be settled lawsuits,” Lucas. “Budgeting cannot pretend away lawsuits with eight-figure settlement demands.”

The State of Missouri has control over the Kansas City Police Department, but Lucas said it only reimburses the department $1 million for legal expenses. The mayor said the reimbursement is “woefully inadequate.”

Right now, he warns, taxpayers will be getting less from the department without state help to pay legal fees and settlements.

“While in Jefferson City, KCPD should seek an increase in financial support for the state legal reimbursement fund. Without more Missouri support, Kansas Citians will be paying more for less policing service at a time of ongoing public safety crises,” Lucas said.

Mayor Lucas is also asking for transparency about pending legal cases along with the increased state financial support for the department.

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