Police Funding Tax Returns to Voters in November

Kearney voters will once again decide whether to approve a half-cent sales tax dedicated to supporting the city’s police department.

The measure, known as Prop P, is scheduled to appear on the Nov. 3 ballot. If approved, the local public safety tax would help fund police staffing, competitive wages, overtime and additional safety needs for the Kearney Police Department. A similar initiative fell short by just 44 votes last year.

For shoppers, the increase would amount to 5 cents on a $10 purchase or 50 cents on a $100 purchase.

City officials say the need for additional funding remains unchanged since the proposal was last put before voters in 2024.

“Our needs haven’t decreased, just like every other city’s needs; expenses continue to go up,” said Colleen Doctorian, a communications representative for the city of Kearney.

Doctorian said revenue from the proposed tax would be directed toward officer pay and department safety, two areas city leaders have identified as priorities.

Retention is also a major reason the city is bringing the question back to voters. Doctorian said competitive salaries are necessary to keep experienced officers in Kearney and maintain public safety services.

“It is very important in order to retain officers we have to have funding to fund salaries and keep our officers safe,” Doctorian said.

Among voters, opinions on Prop P remain mixed. Opponents site inflation and the rising cost of everyday expenses as reasons why they are opposing the measure.

Kearney residents will go to the polls on November 3 to vote on Prop P.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Flock Camera Found Cut Down Near 19th and Nation Road

Kearney Police are investigating after a pole supporting a Flock license plate reader camera was cut down Thursday morning , though the pole and camera were left at the scene.

The reader was located near 19th Street and Nation Road, close to the site where a new fire station is under construction. City officials said the camera was in a remote area, and there were no nearby homes with security cameras that could have captured the incident.

Colleen Doctorian, the City of Kearney’s public information officer, said an officer discovered the damage early Thursday.

“Early this morning one of our officers noticed that the Flock camera that’s at 19th and Nation Road had been cut down,” Doctorian said.

Images from the scene showed what appeared to be a clean cut through the pole, with the camera lying on the ground nearby.

The damaged camera is one of 14 Flock cameras installed in Kearney, where the technology has become the subject of ongoing public discussion. Some residents have raised privacy concerns about automated license plate readers, while others have said they support the cameras as a law enforcement tool.

Doctorian said the city plans to replace the Nation Road camera. She said the police department uses the cameras to help with criminal investigations, describing them as one of several technology tools available to police.

City officials said anyone caught cutting down the cameras could potentially face felony property damage charges.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Kearney Police Department at 816-407-3700 or the department’s business line at 816-628-3925.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Kearney Named Blue Shield Community

The City of Kearney has been recognized as a 2026 Missouri Blue Shield Community by the Missouri Department of Public Safety.

This designation recognizes communities that demonstrate a strong commitment to public safety, support for law enforcement, and partnerships between officers and the community they serve.

The City and 102.7FM thanks the Kearney Police Department and everyone who works each day to help keep our community safe.

K-9 Havoc Assists in Arrest on 92 Highway

Over the weekend, a traffic stop conducted by a day-shift officer on 92 Highway near McDonald's led to the arrest of a 28-year-old Camden, MO man.

Photo by Kearney Police Department.

During the investigation, it was discovered that the driver had a suspended license and active warrants for his arrest. K-9 Havoc was called to the scene and alerted officers to the presence of contraband in the vehicle.

A search revealed approximately 13 grams of packaged methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded handgun. The driver, a convicted felon, is prohibited from possessing firearms.

Officers safely took the suspect into custody, and Kearney Detectives with the Criminal Investigations Unit filed in-custody charges for felony possession of a controlled substance and felony unlawful possession of a firearm.

Bond was set at $50,000, and the suspect was booked into the Clay County Detention Center on the new felony charges.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Stolen Car Pursuit Leads to Arrest of Juvenile Suspect

Another late-night patrol by the Kearney Police Department turned into a high-stakes chase on Thursday, December 10. Shortly after 10:00 p.m., an officer patrolling the south end of Kearney spotted a vehicle that matched the description of a recently reported stolen car. The individuals inside the car were also suspected of prowling through other vehicles in the neighborhood.

When the officer attempted to pull the vehicle over, the driver sped away, initiating a pursuit that wove through the city. The chase continued near 19th Street and Highway 33, where police successfully deployed stop sticks. Although the suspect ran over the devices, which slowed the vehicle, the driver continued heading south on Highway 33 into the county, approaching the Riverbend Estates neighborhood.

At that point, the suspect abandoned the still-moving car and fled on foot. Officers pursued and quickly located the individual hiding behind a building. The suspect, identified as a juvenile male from Kansas City, Missouri, was taken into custody without further incident and transported to the Clay County Juvenile Detention Center. The stolen vehicle was recovered and returned to its rightful owner.

The suspect is now facing multiple felony charges, including aggravated fleeing a detention/stop under Valentine’s Law, resisting arrest, tampering (stealing) with a motor vehicle, endangering the welfare of a child, and reckless or careless driving.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.