Graves Named UMKC Police Chief, Faces Protests

0:00University of Missouri, Kansas City just named Daniel Graves as their new police chief. He's a former captain with the Kansas City Police Department where he put in nearly 30 years starting back in 1996 before retiring. At the end of 2023, Graves got sworn in this past Monday and the University brass highlighted his strong leadership and community focus as why he stood out. He's married to the current KCPD chief, Stacey Graves, which adds a layer to the story. During his time on the force, he worked everything from narcotics and violent crimes to tactical and special investigations units. The University says he's all about accountability and keeping campus safe, but not everyone's on board. The campus chapter of young democratic socialists of America is fired up, calling out a letter Graves wrote supporting leniency for ex-detective Eric, devolcanary. That detective got convicted of second degree in voluntary manslaughter in the 2021 shooting death of Cameron Lamb. The group plans a rally outside the police station on May 5th to protest the hire.

1:04Graves retired right after working security for Taylor Swift at a chiefs game, which might have been some department rules, though officials insisted. Wasn't why he left? More recently, he popped up in cord docs from a lawsuit against the police board tied to claims about his wife's conduct toward a subordinate before. She became chief. This hire is stirring debate on campus about trust and past decisions, and we'll see how Graves handles the heat while stepping into his new role. From your city, powered by AI, this is Kansas News Today. I'm Corey with The Story.