Jay Z’s Team Roc, the social justice arm of his Roc Nation entertainment company, has taken legal action against Kansas City, Kansas. In a lawsuit filed on Tuesday, they allege that the city has violated public records laws by failing to promptly release law enforcement records pertaining to allegations of police abuse and misconduct that have persisted for decades.
In collaboration with the Midwest Innocence Project, a lawsuit has been filed in Wyandotte County District Court alleging that the Kansas City Police Department has failed to release significant documents pertaining to complaints against current and former detectives and officers. This comes after Roc Nation submitted a records request in November 2023.
The suit, obtained by NBC News, highlights the distressing and recurrent incidents of abuse and misconduct by the KCKPD in Kansas City, Kansas. Over the years, these incidents have disproportionately affected minority and immigrant communities.
The lawsuit alleges that instead of fostering a culture of transparency and accountability, the KCKPD has a lengthy track record of ignoring and potentially even concealing abusive and corrupt behavior by its officers.
The Kansas City Police Department and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, have been accused of “stonewalling” the plaintiffs for nearly a year in a complaint. The plaintiffs requested information under the Kansas Open Records Act and were initially faced with a $2,200 fee, which they ultimately agreed to pay.
According to the plaintiffs, the 225 documents that have been provided so far primarily consist of personnel locator records, which show officer shifts and assignments. There are also a few documents that include training materials and department policies. However, the plaintiffs note that there has not been a single document related to any complaint or investigation into misconduct by any member of the KCKPD, as specifically requested in the lawsuit.
The city’s police force has faced intense scrutiny in recent years due to allegations of corruption and civil rights violations. Activists have been demanding a comprehensive federal investigation, especially in light of the disturbing incidents involving former Kansas City police Detective Roger Golubski. In September 2022, Golubski was charged with federal civil rights crimes after being accused of exploiting Black women for sexual favors and wrongfully framing innocent individuals for crimes they did not commit.
According to an interview with NBC News, Dania Diaz, the managing director of Team Roc, expressed concerns about the lack of response to their requests for personnel documents. Out of the 16 requests made, they have only received documents for three of them. Diaz also mentioned that some of the requests have not been adequately addressed within a reasonable timeframe, as required by the law.
According to her, they believe that taking legal action is necessary in order to force action and ultimately hold the department accountable for the questionable actions of its officers. She states, “We are filing this lawsuit because individuals who hold positions of authority have violated the trust of the public… Such behavior cannot go unchecked.”
The Kansas City police have not yet responded to a request for comment regarding the lawsuit. Similarly, the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, has declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.
Certain documents are exempt from public review under the state’s public records law. This includes personnel information of public employees and criminal investigation records.
The plaintiffs argue that the unified government rejected their request in a broad and indiscriminate manner. They claim that the government failed to differentiate between records pertaining to ongoing and concluded investigations, and neglected to acknowledge that most valid privacy concerns could be addressed through redaction.
According to the individuals involved, the government received a substantial payment for what they were promised would be a comprehensive and extensive request. However, they argue that the response they received was a generic and standard response that they believe does not meet the legal requirements.
The lawsuit argues that the Unified Government’s claim of ‘unfounded allegations’ is not enough and exposes the core issue of a broken public trust in law enforcement.
The plaintiffs have requested the court to intervene and issue an order for the production of the records within a period of 30 days.
According to Max Kautsch, a First Amendment rights lawyer based in Lawrence, Kansas, the state’s open records law hinges on the question of whether the disclosure of a document is in the public interest. He believes that there is a valid argument to be made that records pertaining to police misconduct can provide valuable insight into how the public is being served.
Law enforcement records related to criminal complaints are routinely denied in Kansas, despite the state’s law being “liberally construed to promote openness when there’s ambiguity” over whether a record is public, according to Kautsch.
Team Roc became interested in Kansas City after discovering through local media reports in 2021 that the FBI had uncovered multiple allegations of civil rights violations, officer misconduct, and excessive use of force dating back to the 1990s.
In 2022, the department faced a lawsuit from Team Roc and a full-page ad was placed in The Washington Post by the organization, urging for an investigation. The attorney for Team Roc, Alex Spiro, expressed concern to the Justice Department about the long-standing issue of alleged misconduct being protected by a “blue wall of silence.”
After Golubski was arrested, Team Roc and various organizations came together to urge the Justice Department to initiate a police “pattern and practice” investigation in Kansas City, Kansas. It is worth noting that nearly half of the city’s population consists of Black and Latino individuals. However, despite these efforts, no such investigation has been conducted in Kansas City, Kansas. On the other hand, an investigation was launched in the neighboring city of Kansas City, Missouri, focusing on allegations of discrimination within its police force, particularly amongst Black officers.
According to the Kansas City Star, the investigation into the police in Kansas City, Kansas has made little progress, disappointing police reform advocates and community groups who had hoped for a review by the Justice Department under the Trump administration. During the first Trump administration, there was a significant decrease in comprehensive civil rights investigations into police forces.
The Trump transition team has not yet provided a comment regarding their potential plans for the Justice Department’s police investigations.
In the coming month, focus will once again shift to the Kansas City, Kansas, police as Golubski’s trial is set to commence. Golubski, a retired officer with 35 years of service, pleaded not guilty to six counts of deprivation of civil rights.
The Kansas City police have yet to respond to inquiries regarding community concerns. Meanwhile, the Justice Department has chosen not to provide any comments at this time.
Kansas City Police Chief Karl Oakman has previously expressed his willingness to cooperate with any investigation. However, Diaz argues that the department has shown little inclination towards increased transparency.
“We firmly believe that society desires a sense of safety and security,” she expressed. “We are open to engaging with anyone who shares this concern, and if the matter is not resolved prior to [Trump]’s inauguration, we will collaborate with the incoming administration in hopes of finally achieving a solution that has been long-awaited for decades.”
