By The Kansas City Star Editorial Board

Kansas City police officials repeatedly claimed this spring they were scrounging for every available dollar to keep cops on the street.

Except, as it turns out, for a $1 million purchase of patrol cars — some of which might be stockpiled for up to two years.

In a breathtaking display of arrogance and poor judgment, police quietly purchased the additional cruisers in the midst of the city’s contentious budget process.

The spectacle of a public safety agency not fully disclosing its actions to its own city leaders provides yet more evidence that the Missouri General Assembly in 2010 should eliminate state control of the Police Department.

Kansas City taxpayers no longer can afford to have a police force — run by a state-appointed police board, a chief and a chain of command — which seems to think it can operate independently from the government of the city it serves.

In the case of the car purchase, it’s dismaying to find such a lack of clear communication from police officials to City Hall, especially given the tight budget times.

In the early months of 2009, council members Deb Hermann, Jan Marcason and Cathy Jolly spent hours trying to work out funding issues with the department. Discussions grew heated over how much money the city would allocate for police in the 2009-10 budget, which took effect May 1.

Police Chief Jim Corwin even campaigned for more money by appearing at a press conference at which Mayor Mark Funkhouser attacked city funding for the sports complex.

The implied message at the time: The police badly needed more revenue to keep officers on the street, or crime just might soar out of control. Corwin also warned he might not have enough money to hire a class of recruits going through the police academy.

Now, as reported by The Star, it turns out the Police Department had almost $1 million in extra cash sitting around in early 2009, thanks to savings from lower gas prices.

The police should have reported that savings to city officials, who could have used the money to avoid so many cuts to basic city services in the current budget.

Or, police officials could have made the case for using the funds for their own needs.

Sadly, that discussion never occurred. The city thus missed the opportunity to review the policy of allowing dozens of officers and commanders to drive cars to and from work — a practice which police say aids public safety, but which adds miles and costs to the fleet.

The actions of top Police Department leaders throughout the budget process, culminating with the revelation of the purchase of the additional vehicles, make the agency appear less-than-forthright to the public and to key city officials.

The merits of a stand-alone Police Department — allowed nowhere in the nation except for Kansas City and St. Louis — are no longer evident. The best way to improve accountability is to place the police force under city control.