In the majority of such questionable altercations, the police officers have each had five or fewer years of experience. That is hardly representative of the force as a whole, since over three-quarters of the force has had more than five years on the job. This begs the question: why is that the face the public sees?

The Kansas City Police Department has a comparatively strict set of training requirements. New officers spend six months at the Departments Regional Training Academy and another six months on probation, the first ten weeks of which are spent with a Field Training Officer. KCPD officers transfer easily to surrounding departments, but transfers into the department must be retested and sometimes reenter the academy.

Officers undergo a psychological evaluation and stress testing to ensure that officers are not likely to mishandle a situation when under stress.

The first assignment is patrol, during which time officers are expected to learn how to deal with a questionably supportive public. After a set period of time, officers move up in the ranks and are transferred to other units. The idea is that if an officer can handle the public, he has learned how to problem-solve.

Patrol officers cover a 322-square-mile radius and a daytime population of about 800,000 people. It averages out to be about one officer per 600 daytime residents. The city does not slow down to suit the police force, yet the average response time for 2006 was 10 minutes.

Perhaps rather than condemning the entire police force, residents would do well to remember that most officers are doing their jobs. Some actions are impermissible, and those who commit such actions merit intense scrutiny and reprimand. Yet the more productive scenario does not pit police against the general public, but both parties against the few bad apples.

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Copyright 2007 Metropolitan Community College