Park University Hosting KCMO Police 30×30 Initiative Event

March 25, 2025 — Park University’s Department of Criminal Justice Administration is hosting a panel discussion related to the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department’s 30×30 Initiative on Friday, April 4. The event, which starts at 9 a.m. in the Dorothy Harper Watson Literacy Center within the Mabee Learning Center/Academic Underground on the University’s flagship Parkville Campus, is open to the public. The discussion will also be livestreamed at park.zoom.us/j/92617028419.

The panel discussion will include an opening address and an overview of the 30×30 Initiative by Stacey Graves, chief of the KCPD. Graves, who was appointed as the first woman to serve as permanent chief of the KCPD in December 2022, will provide insights into the cultural barriers that can keep women from pursuing a career in criminal justice, as well as speak about the City of Kansas City, Mo.’s commitment to the 30×30 initiative.

Panelists will include women from across the KCPD, including: Maj. Marisa Barnes, Metro Patrol Division; Officer Alayna Gonzalez, Media Unit; Officer Amber Hoffman and Officer Sutton Smith, Human Resources; Officer McKenzie Kilbury, Central Patrol Division; Officer Molly O’Brien, Tactical Response Team; Officer Jacinda O’Dell, North Patrol Division; and Officer Alex Saragusa, LGBTQ Liaison and Community Engagement. In addition, various units, including Communications, Crime Lab, Detention, Parking Control and Recruitment will be introduced. At the conclusion of the panel discussion, a question-and-answer session and Regional Police Academy overview will be provided.

According to the 30×30 Policing Project at the New York University School of Law, women make up less than 14% of sworn officers and 20% of recruits in state and local law enforcement agencies. The under-representation of women in policing undermines public safety. Research shows women officers use less force and less excessive force; are named in fewer complaints and lawsuits; are perceived by communities as being more honest and compassionate; see better outcomes for crime victims, especially in sexual assault cases; and make fewer discretionary arrests for non-violent misdemeanors.

The 30×30 Initiative is a coalition of police leaders, researchers and professional organizations who have joined together to support and advance the representation, experiences and wellbeing of women in policing agencies across the U.S. and beyond. It is based on evidence indicating the importance of achieving at least 30% representation to empower a group to influence an organization’s culture. This 30% threshold is where change begins to happen, but it is not the end goal. 30×30 works with policing agencies to improve recruiting practices and establish community partnerships so that agencies become truly representative of the jurisdictions they serve. While 30×30 is focused on advancing and supporting women in policing, these principles apply to all demographic diversity, not just gender.

The Kansas City, Mo., Police Department announced in June 2022 is commitment to the 30×30 Initiative.