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Tuesday, Jun 30, 2026

Does Kansas City’s 2026-27 budget increase the amount allocated to settling police-related lawsuits?

Sam Mykel , Columbia Missourian
yes

Kansas City has increased the amount of money allocated to settling police-related lawsuits by millions in its latest budget.

For the 2026-27 fiscal year, the City Council approved $6.5 million for lawsuit settlements, a $4 million increase from the previous year. The overall police budget was increased by $17.8 million, bringing the total to $364.5 million.

Kansas City’s current budget allocates $2.5 million for police-related lawsuit settlements. However, in the 2025-26 fiscal year, the city paid out nearly $13.8 million in police settlements.

Kansas City spends significantly more on police than cities of similar size: Omaha spends $216 million and Oklahoma City spends $298 million. Columbia’s police budget is $35 million.

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