Kansas City, Mo. ? The Kansas City Police Department needs more people, more equipment, revised schedules and improved accountability for employee performance, according to an independent study of the department.

Police Chief Jim Corwin, who initiated the study when he took over in 2004, said he would like to implement most, if not all, of the recommendations within three years.

“Someone would have to convince me this report was in error to not follow the recommendations,” he said. “This will change our culture for the good.”

The 369-page, $250,000 report by Berkshires Advisors Inc. was to be delivered to the Board of Police Commissioners on Tuesday.

The study notes police are far behind on work to log convictions into their database, which means criminals could get guns and employers might unknowingly be hiring people with criminal convictions.

It also said the department needs to hire 14 call takers to reduce waiting times for 911 calls. Currently, nearly one-third of 911 callers get a message telling them to hold, police say. It takes officers an average of more than 11 minutes to arrive at an emergency scene, when they ideally should arrive within five minutes, the study says.

The study also proposes ending the current deployment of two officers per patrol car in favor of officers riding alone; buying hundreds more patrol cars; letting officers take the cars home while off-duty; and establishing a culture of accountability for employees.

Ron Orr, president of the Kansas City Police Officers Assn., said his organization did not support reducing the number of officers in a car from two to one.

Orr cited studies that show 74 percent of officers shot and killed in the line of duty worked solo.”With two officers, their backup is right with them,” he said. “The criminals think twice.”

But the union does support a proposal that the department spend $10.2 million to buy 470 additional vehicles so every patrol officer and sergeant can take cars home, he said.

Similar take-home car policies have cut operational costs, saved officers’ time, improved response to major emergencies and given residents the comfort of having a police car parked down the block.

Despite the initial cost, the program eventually could save the department money, the study said, because officers tend to take better care of cars they take home and the cars remain under warranty longer.

The report also suggests a cultural shift in the department to improve accountability. Currently, employees are demoted or dismissed only if they violate numerous or important policies or commit a crime.