JAY-Z’s Team Roc is suing the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department for their alleged cover ups of police misconduct. As ABC News reported, the social justice arm of Roc Nation filed a lawsuit in a Wyandotte County district court on Monday (Sept. 20) with hopes to gain access to records of the previous complaints made against Kansas City cops.
According to Team Roc attorney Alex Spiro, Roc Nation’s philanthropic arm initially requested to get records “pertaining to the complaints made against members of the Investigative Division” through the Kansas Public Records Act. Upon receiving the information from the KCKPD, however, they claimed the documents they got lacked records “pertaining to any steps that the City of Kansas has taken in response to those complaints” made against them, and are therefore “not sufficient.”
“Because of the [Kansas] Public Records Act that allows interested parties to look at various states and government documents, we’re allowed to see certain files and how the government handled certain issues,” Spiro said. “The government has attempted to block our access to those files, and so we’re suing to see what they don’t want us to see.”
“These documents will help identify the scope of the problem, any potential evidence of a cover-up and also the potential causes,” the lawsuit added.
In a statement to ABC News, Nancy Chartrand, public information officer of the police department, noted that “KORA does not require the disclosure of personnel records and criminal investigation records, for example, without specific circumstances.”
Team Roc has since filed a 28-page petition, which explains that the disclosure of all records would help in seeking justice. They are reportedly awaiting a response.
Per ABC News, members of the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department have been behind much police misconduct over the years. The suit specifically mentions an officer charged with committing sex crimes in connection to his involvement with a minor, two officers who faced charges with a felony and misdemeanor assault after they mistreated an inmate and more.