Kansas City’s $2.3 billion budget passes with $1.26 million allocated towards an alternative to policing

Members of DecarcerateKC rallying outside of City Hall holding up a banner that reads “REARCH for care” as DecarcerateKC leader Kero Laveli addresses the crowd (Defender Photo/Lynnie Holl) KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – On March 28, Kansas City Council approved the city’s $2.3 billion budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. The budget includes pay raises for KCPD, $5.5 million for the 2026 FIFA World Cup preparation, $2 million for capital repairs at the American Jazz and Negro League Baseball (NLB) Museums. and $1 million toward the 18th & Vine Streetscape and pedestrian plaza project. In groundbreaking achievement, the budget most notably includes a $1.26 million budget for the city’s first ever pre-arrest diversion program. REACH–which stands for Responding with Empathetic Alternatives and Community Help–would be the first of its kind for Kansas City. More than a local initiative, REACH is a potential blueprint for cities nationwide grappling with the challenges of public safety and implementing “non-reformist” reforms.& The REACH program marks a monumental shift away from punitive, racist policing and criminalization modules. The funding will help employ pre-arrest diversion strategies that prioritize alternatives to incarceration. By providing individuals with access to mental health, housing, and other life-affirming resources, REACH will have...