Did a KCPD officer harm you or someone you know? Here’s how you can file a complaint

In 2022, it’s no secret that interactions with police officers can go south and people can get hurt, especially when officers use force.

The Star obtained records from the Kansas City Police Department from the past 2.5 years, revealing more than 638 incidents of police officers’ use of force in that time. That comes out to an average of 1.4 incidents a day when police officers have used violence against people with things like pepper spray, tasers and neck restraints.

If you’ve had an interaction with a KCPD officer that went poorly, if an officer hurt you or if you feel you were treated unfairly, you can look up the department’s incident report to see how they documented what happened. You can also file a complaint with the department. Here’s how.

HOW TO FILE A COMPLAINT

You can submit a complaint to KCPD using the following forms under the Office of Community Complaints tab on their website.

• Online complaint form

• Community complaint report

Complaints have to be filed within 90 days of an incident. The executive director of the Office of Community Complaints is the only one who can accept complaints after 90 days in special circumstances.

You must also be at least 17 years old. Anyone 16 and under must be with a parent or legal guardian, who will be listed as a co-complainant.

You can also submit a complaint in person at these locations in Kansas City. They don’t accept complaints submitted over the phone.

• Office of Community Complaints —635 Woodland Ave., Suite 2102 816-889-6640

• Westside CAN Center —2130 B Jefferson St. 816-842-1298

• Police Headquarters, Records Unit — 1125 Locust 816-234-5000

• East Patrol Division — 2640 Prospect 816-234-5530

• North Patrol Division — 11000 NW Prairie View Rd. 816-234-5540

• South Patrol Division — 9701 Marion Park Dr. 816-234-5550

• Northland Neighborhoods, Inc. — 4420 N.E. Chouteau Trafficway 816-454-2000

• Ad-Hoc Group Against Crime — 2701 E. 31st St. 816-861-5500

• Central Patrol Division — 1200 E. Linwood Blvd. 816-234-5510

• Metro Patrol Division — 7601 Prospect Ave. 816-581-0700

• Shoal Creek Patrol Division — 6801 N.E. Pleasant Valley Rd. 816-413-3400

Once you have a complaint filed, call the following numbers for more information on the status of your complaint.

• If your last name begins with A-H call 816-889-6646 for senior legal analyst Michael Walker

• For last names beginning with I-P, call 816-889-6644 for senior legal analyst Karen Williams

• Last names starting with Q-Z, call 816-889-6645 for senior legal analyst Johnnie Ann Crawford

HOW TO REQUEST AN INCIDENT REPORT

If you want to see the data straight from the department, like The Star did as part of its investigation, you can request records yourself.

You can request an incident report from KCPD by going to their website and under the transparency tab, clicking on Report and Video Requests. There, you’ll find the police reports form if you want to check on how the police department reported an event or interaction.

That website gives you choices on what you want to request, including incident reports. Incidents before 1999 and subpoenas can only be filed at KCPD’s headquarters on 1125 Locust.

A form can be downloaded and used to request a report as well. It’s also available in Spanish and Vietnamese.

You may also call 816-234-5100 to request a record and in some cases, walk into KCPD’s headquarters and obtain a report.

KCPD will charge fees before releasing requested records. Fees will vary depending on what’s requested, but you can find an estimate for the cost here.

It can take up to six to eight weeks to receive your request and up to 30 days for a single incident report by mail.

WHAT ABOUT KANSAS?

The Star’s Luke Nozicka wrote a guide in Oct. 2021 on filing a complaint in Kansas City, Kansas.

Community members can call the department’s internal affairs office at 913-573-6370. The Unified Government also has an ethics hotline, which it calls a confidential answering service, at 913-621-3294.

The Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office also has an independent arm to investigate accusations of excessive force or misconduct by police officers. That office’s hotline is 913-573-8100. Complaints to what is known as the Community Integrity Unit can be filled out online.

The FBI also investigates public corruption. The agency’s regional hotline covering Kansas City can be reached at 855-527-2847.

Additionally, the Metro Organization for Racial and Economic Equity, a social justice advocacy organization, in 2019 created its own hotline in Kansas City, Kansas, for people to report police misconduct. That number is 913-228-3007.

That line is not monitored 24/7. Content of voicemails will not be turned over to law enforcement, advocates have said.

If you’ve had an experience with KCPD that you want to share with The Star, you can email us at kcq@kcstar.com.