Renewed calls for deeper investigation into KCK police in wake of Golubski charges

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) - Team ROC came to Kansas City, Kansas today, hosting what it called the #JusticeforKCK rally. Team ROC is the social justice division of rapper Jay Z’s ROC Nation. Hundreds of people attended—demanding justice for the local community for what it calls Detective Roger Golubski’s “egregious abuse of power” and corruption throughout the KCKPD.

Right now, there is a narrow investigation of Golubski and possibly others.  Golubski is facing federal charges related to rape and kidnapping, and just this week, sex trafficking charges were added.  But advocates want more.  They say Golubski and others preyed upon Black women and children during criminal investigations, and fabricated evidence.

“They protected Golubski not the community not those they were sworn to serve” said Cheryl Pilate, civil rights attorney, about the Kansas City Kansas Police Department.

Activists are calling on the Department of Justice to open a pattern-or-practice investigation into the entire department. Pattern-or-practice investigations give the federal government the chance to really examine how a department operates. The investigation could also extend to Wyandotte County government. These types of investigations were done in Ferguson, Missouri, Minneapolis after George Floyd’s death and more recently in Louisville, Kentucky following Breonna Taylor’s death.

Advocates say that even though Golubski is retired from the department, what happened in KCK is not ancient history. They say many of those wrongfully convicted during Golubski’s tenure are still in prison, years after Golubski retired.

Lamonte McIntyre, released from prison five years ago after serving more than 23 years for a murder he did not commit believes others knew of Golubski’s actions, but did nothing.

McIntyre has been officially exonerated and compensated.

“Everybody who didn’t say anything, didn’t speak up when this man was doing what he was doing, is just as guilty,” said McIntyre. “Everybody who sits back and watched, they’re just as guilty, they’re not innocent!”

Tricia Rojo Bushnell is the director of the Midwest Innocence Project, one of two innocence projects that worked on freeing McIntyre.

“What we know is that abusers like Roger Golubski do not happen alone,” said Bushnell. “It’s an entire system that has empowered and enabled him.”

Golubski remains on home arrest while awaiting court proceedings on the federal charges he’s facing.

Team Roc got involved in the case more than a year ago, when it filed a lawsuit against the KCK Police Department.  The organization is fighting for records and have launched a website seeking information. (www.kckpdcorruption.info).

The Midwest Innocence Project has set up a hotline for anyone with information. The hotline is 816-673-3373 or you can visit kckjustice@themip.org.

Golubski remains on home arrest while awaiting court proceedings on the federal charges he’s facing.

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