Office Staff

Executive Director
Merrell R. Bennekin, J.D., CPM
(816) 889-6641
Merrell.Bennekin@kcpd.org

Merrell R. Bennekin is the Executive Director of the Board of Police Commissioners’ Office of Community Complaints in Kansas City, Missouri. In this role he is responsible for the daily agency operations and facilitation of investigations into allegations of misconduct against members of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.

Merrell is also a Missouri Peace Officer Standards Training (P.O.S.T.) instructor at the Regional Police Academy in the areas of Mediation, Conflict De-escalation, and Interpersonal Communications. Since 2008 he has worked as an Adjunct Professor, providing instruction in the area of Criminal Justice at the Metropolitan Community College, Rockhurst University, and Avila University.

Merrell, a native of Eatonton, Georgia, received his Bachelor of Arts in English from Morehouse College in 1998, and his Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law in 2001. Merrell also completed the University of Kansas Certified Public Manager Program in 2010. He is a 2007 graduate of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Centurions Leadership Development Program, and is chairman of the Board of Directors of the Village Initiative, an offender re-entry program based in Kansas City, Kansas. He is also a member of the Kansas City (MO) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

Legal Analyst
Stephanie Hamilton
(816) 889-6645
Stephanie.Hamilton@kcpd.org 

Stephanie Hamilton brings extensive, varied experience to OCC as a mental health practitioner and criminal justice professional.  With a passion for community service, she has been actively involved in various initiatives aimed at supporting successful re-entry to the community from incarceration, medication assisted treatment for those experiencing opioid addiction, community engagement, and bringing yoga to underserved populations within the metro area.

Stephanie previously held leadership roles within the Federal Bureau of Prisons, where she successfully connected persons recently released from incarceration with community mental health and addiction treatment resources as well as guiding and authoring policies regarding the First Steps Act, medication assisted treatment, community treatment services, volunteer services, and restorative justice.  Additionally, Stephanie served the Federal Bureau of Prisons as a crisis negotiator and crisis management team leader as well as a part of the national training cadre. Her commitment to fostering collaboration and driving impactful change is evident in her work and advocacy.

Outside of her work, Stephanie enjoys cooking without a recipe, playing Uno with her family (and winning), practicing yoga daily,  petting ALL the dogs,  and reading completely frivolous fiction.

Legal Analyst
Diane Mozzicato
(816) 889-6646
Diane.Mozzicato@kcpd.org

Legal Analyst Diane Mozzicato is a former law enforcement officer with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department (KCPD) with over 30 years of experience in law and order, public service, law enforcement training and policy development, and implementing principled police activities.  During her career with the KCPD, she served as a Field Training Officer, an Academy Instructor, an Internal Affairs Investigator and Supervisor, and a Supervisor and Commander in the Research and Development Unit that oversaw the development and revisions of the department’s policies and procedures.

Ms. Mozzicato is a member of National Association of Civilian Oversight (NACOLE), a former Fellow of the FBI Executive Fellowship, a graduate of the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) Senior Management Institute for Police, a graduate of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Centurions Leadership Program, and a former participant of Big Brothers and Big Sisters.  She received her Bachelor of Business Administration from Washburn University of Topeka, Kansas. 

Legal Analyst
Tiara Whatley
(816) 889-6643
Tiara.Whatley@kcpd.org

Tiara Whatley is a Legal Analyst in the Office of Community Complaints. She graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, minoring in Criminal Justice from Central State University located in Wilberforce, Ohio, in 2017. Following this, Tiara acquired a Master of Science degree in Forensic Science, specializing in Forensic Investigations, from Bowling Green State University in 2018. She gained much knowledge in understanding laws, criminal justice policies and procedures, forensic investigations, and health and human services. During Tiara’s academic career, she was involved in many extracurriculars. She held many professional memberships, such as Chi Alpha Epsilon National Honor Society and Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology. Tiara is a motivated individual with an eye for detail that has shown throughout her career.

Tiara has a background in analytical work from forensic/medical laboratory facilities. She also completed training in criminal investigations in 2020. She’s passionate about science, mental health, law, and assisting others. Tiara wants to continue applying science to the judiciary system and ongoing issues in society. She is a native of Dayton, Ohio. Tiara is eager to work in the Office of Community Complaints and to serve the Kansas City metropolitan area. In her spare time, Tiara enjoys cooking, the arts, and volunteering with her sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated.

Senior Legal Analyst
Karen U. Williams, CPO, MPA
(816) 889-6644
Karen.Williams@kcpd.org

Karen Williams is a Senior Legal Analyst in the Office of Community Complaints. Ms. Williams is tasked with the analysis and reporting of complaints, as well as compilation of the Annual Report and other statistical reports. She also teaches classes to community members, members of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, and police officer candidates on the complaint process, ways to reduce complaints, and responsible interaction with the police, and assists with the office’s active internship program. Since 2001, Ms. Williams has reviewed hundreds of complaint files and has handled numerous Sunshine Law requests, as well as spoken at several conferences regarding oversight of law enforcement.

Ms. Williams served for eight years on the Board of Directors for the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE), the nation’s largest and premier police oversight organization, representing over 2,500 oversight practitioners. In her spare time, Karen is an active volunteer for NACOLE, a member of the Volunteer Corps for the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, serves on several local boards in the Kansas City area, and is an avid traveler.

Ms. Williams has a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Political Science from Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa. She graduated with highest honors from Park University in Parkville, Missouri with a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs with a concentration in Nonprofit and Community Services Management.

Office Coordinator
Ora Rogers
(816) 889-6647
Ora.Rogers@kcpd.org

Ora Rogers is the Office Coordinator of the Office of Community Complaints (2011-present), providing support to the Executive Director. In her role, she coordinates training, handles customer service inquiries, and schedules and monitors progress of work assigned to staff. She graduated with honors in 2016 with a Bachelor of Public Administration degree from Park University in Parkville, Missouri. Ora has provided volunteer services locally with the Lead to Read Program in Kansas City-area urban schools and is an alumnus of the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS).

Previously, Ora worked as an Administrative Assistant (2002-2011) for the Private Officers Licensing Unit of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, licensing officers in the private security industry. In her free time Ora enjoys reading non-fiction books, cooking, keeping up with her favorite television shows, and spending time with her family – welcoming her first grandbaby in late 2024.  Ora also welcomed a new furry friend to her home (a standard poodle named Adaora Marini) and is building a new set of memories and experiences with her. Her side hustle is being a seller (and buyer) on Poshmark.