Roeland Park Mayor Adrienne Foster says her police department is in danger of being disbanded after a Walmart store closes in 2014 and leaves a roughly $700,000 sales tax gap.
Foster says she could consider eliminating the department to save money, but the City Council’s public safety committee chairman says that’s not an option.
KSHB reports the police department has 20 full-time and part-time employees serving the community of about 6,500, with an annual budget of about $1.4 million.
As council members work on budget-cutting proposals, getting rid of the police department is among suggestions on Foster’s list. If that were to happen, the city would have to pay the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department to provide public safety services.
| The Associated Press
Kevin Carlyle
5 months, 2 weeks agoPerhaps it’s time for the KC Metro to put in a no business poaching agreement.
Look at the cost in terms of taxes it’s causing Johnson County residents. Even if that city contracts with the sheriffs department do you think there’s many other places they can go to get the revenue?
Mike Smithy
5 months, 2 weeks agoIf a city cannot justify the existence pursuant to maintaining its own police department, then how can they justify being a city in the first place. Perhaps the municipal charter for Roeland Park should be revoked and the city disbanded. In which case, they will revert back to becoming un-incorporated Johnson County. In which case, the Sheriff’s Office will assume patrol duties and the county will receive the existing tax base revenues to accomplish what Roeland Park is incapable of doing.